Ukraine tests AI-powered turret to shoot down Russian drones
Photo: Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov (facebook.com)
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is developing small-scale air defense capabilities amid constant attacks by Russian drones. One of the new solutions is a Ukrainian AI turret capable of automatically detecting and destroying targets, according to Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
Fedorov notes that the new system was created by one of the participants in the Brave1 platform. The turret has already seen combat and is being used on key sections of the front line.
The system autonomously detects Russian drones, tracks them, and calculates their flight path. After that, the operator only needs to confirm the hit by pressing a button.
"It is important that the technology allows for the destruction of even fiber-optic drones, which are not vulnerable to electronic warfare," the Minister emphasizes.
The K-2 military brigades were the first to deploy the AI turret in combat conditions. Currently, more than ten Ukrainian units are already using the system.
Fedorov also shows a video of the turret in actual combat against Russian drones.
Scaling sky protection: our new AI-powered turret by @BRAVE1ua is combat-proven. It detects & predicts trajectories autonomously—even for fiber-optic drones immune to EW. Tested by K-2, now in 10+ units. From blueprint to frontline in record time. Next: massive scaling. pic.twitter.com/XfFZ7yqsgT
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) May 9, 2026
According to him, the rapid transition from design drawings to the front lines was made possible thanks to the cooperation between the military and the Brave1 team.
The next step is to scale up the solution and further strengthen Ukraine’s small-scale air defense.
"This is another element of the system we are building for maximum detection and interception of enemy air targets," Fedorov concludes.
Recently, Russia has begun to use modernized Gerbera drones as carriers for FPV drones. Such platforms allow strike drones to be delivered much deeper into enemy territory and launched near the target.
In response, Ukraine is stepping up its use of interceptor drones. In particular, Ukrainian P1-SUN drones from SkyFall have already shot down several Gerbera drones carrying FPV drones for the first time. The system is capable of reaching speeds of up to 310 km/h and operating at altitudes of up to 9 km.
