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Germany and US collaborate on unified drone control system for Ukraine’s military

A new unified software platform promises to simplify complex unmanned aerial system management as Ukraine deploys over 200 different drone models.

byMaria Tril

09/12/2024

2 minute read

After 2014, many Ukrainian companies emerged that specialize in the design and manufacture of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), unmanned ground transportation systems (robots), and robots operating in and under water. Starting their activity as a volunteer public engineering bureaus, creating drones to repel Russian aggression, some of them evolved to global players.

Germany and US collaborate on unified drone control system for Ukraine’s military

Rheinmetall, Germany’s largest defense contractor, is collaborating with American software company Auterion to develop a unified software platform that will enable Ukraine’s military to integrate and manage multiple drone types more effectively, the Financial Times reports.

Drone warfare innovations have become a defining feature of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier that Ukraine will continue to ramp up its own defense production, with plans to produce at least 30,000 long-range.

The partnership between Germany and the United States aims to create a common operational architecture that allows drones from different manufacturers to communicate and operate seamlessly.

“The transition from manned to unmanned systems requires interoperability. A shared standard will connect all drones into a single architecture,” Lorenz Meier, CEO of Auterion, said.

Ukraine employs over 200 different drone models, which presents significant logistical and operational challenges. The new software solution could enhance coordination and efficiency of drone deployment.

According to Meier, Auterion’s existing operational system is already in use with Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles. The collaboration between Rheinmetall and Auterion is not just a technological advancement, but a strategic initiative with NATO-wide implications.

“If each NATO country uses its own communication standard for drones, it would complicate joint military operations,” Meier emphasized.

The companies hope their initiative will encourage the adoption of a unified standard among allied nations.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has significantly accelerated drone and autonomous system development, highlighting the critical importance of technological innovation in modern warfare.

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