Former Google CEO and Tech Titan Eric Schmidt is Testing AI-Powered Drones in Ukraine

Tech heavyweight Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, has been secretly building a drone company called White Stork, luring top talent from industry giants like Apple, SpaceX, and Google.

This startup’s AI-powered drones are now undergoing testing at Schmidt’s Hillspire estate in California and in Ukraine, as reported by Forbes.

News of White Stork became public in January, prompting Schmidt to reportedly rebrand and fast-track development. Sources familiar with the company say these drones boast advanced AI that assists with precision landing on designated targets.

Beyond California testing, Forbes reports that Schmidt’s team is collaborating with Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. This collaboration involves testing drone prototypes and gathering feedback from Ukrainian personnel.

A recent test reportedly included the 14th Separate Brigade, a Ukrainian unit specializing in drone warfare. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has not yet commented on this partnership.

A vocal advocate for Ukraine, Schmidt personally visited the frontlines in 2023 to witness drone warfare firsthand. This act earned him praise from Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, who commended Schmidt’s “bold and heroic” actions.

“He cares about Ukraine and helps us a lot,” Fedorov told Forbes. “He is a legend and has created a lot with his own hands.”

During a visit to Kyiv last summer, Schmidt and White Stork advisor Sebastian Thrun met with Ukrainian officials Oleksandr Kamyshyn, Minister of Strategic Industries, and Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, Schmidt has positioned himself as an expert on the question, writing columns about battlefield strategies and the new era of “network warfare.”

In a piece for the Wall Street Journal, he commented that kamikaze drones are dramatically changing the way wars are fought.