The trials were conducted at a training range with the participation of eight Ukrainian manufacturers. The programme is being advanced by Serhii Sternenko in cooperation with domestic drone producers and Brave1.
During the tests, the drones carried out missions at ranges of up to 25 kilometres. They also engaged targets while operating under the effects of various types of electronic warfare.
Ukraine’s defence ministry said some of the systems successfully completed the full testing cycle. It added that certain platforms demonstrated the ability to operate effectively in conditions that closely resemble battlefield environments.
The new drone category is being developed through coordination between the defence ministry, Brave1 and Ukrainian manufacturers. Authorities did not disclose further details about the technologies involved for security reasons.
The ministry said accelerating the deployment of effective battlefield technologies remains a key priority. It added that several measures have already been introduced to speed up the process.
These include a simplified weapons codification procedure and a revised procurement model for unmanned systems. Under the updated approach, 80% of funding is allocated to the most effective systems based on battlefield performance data, while 20% is directed towards emerging technologies.
The ministry also said regular field testing is being conducted in cooperation with Brave1 to evaluate new solutions. Each category of unmanned systems is assessed using a dedicated testing methodology.
Manufacturers that are not yet working under government contracts are also being included in the trials. The ministry said if a drone proves effective under near-combat conditions, the contracting process is launched.
