As technological development in the defence sector accelerates, Demo Ucav serves as an important initiative to future-proof Sweden’s operational capabilities. The project is carried out in collaboration with academia, international partners, and the defence industry to explore and validate core technologies and functions for unmanned systems.
The mission is to build capability and ensure interoperability within the unmanned domain, covering disciplines such as UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems), C-UAS (Counter-UAS), and Patrol Robots. This includes development in organisation, methodology, and technology—such as autonomous systems, sensor integration, signature management, communication solutions, and interaction with manned platforms.
“Demo Ucav is not about producing a finished operational system, but about building knowledge and testing future technologies at an early stage—this creates better conditions and saves time when systems are procured and introduced into the Armed Forces,” said Johan Pakarinen, project manager at FMV. He continued, “We want to ensure that we maintain the technical and operational advantage required in an increasingly complex security policy environment.”
The project has clear links to both national defence needs and international developments. A key component is the creation of a test platform for rapid experimentation and evaluation of various technical solutions, from AI-based control systems to next-generation sensor technologies.
“Much of the technology development is happening in Ukraine, which has a significant impact on our work,” Pakarinen added. “We have an ongoing dialogue with our Ukrainian partners and have a good understanding of how systems are used and developed on the battlefield—there is much to learn from that.”
Since its launch in 2023, the project has expanded in scale and now involves hundreds of employees across the three authorities. FMV’s role is to coordinate and ensure that the technological capability develops in line with the Armed Forces’ requirements, while also driving innovation within the Swedish defence industry.
“This is an exciting and challenging project where collaboration is central—‘together’ is a key focus,” said Pakarinen. “Through Demo Ucav, we also strengthen Sweden’s ability to participate in future multinational cooperation in the field of unmanned systems.”
Source: FMV.
