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One Operator, 100 Drones: Ukraine First to Deploy AI-Controlled Drone Wall in Combat
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Ukraine will be the first nation to test a French-developed drone defense system capable of operating hundreds of interceptor drones simultaneously, according to Defense Express on November 12.
The system, known as DWS-1 and produced by French startup Atreyd, will be deployed in Ukraine in the coming weeks for real-world testing against Russian Shahed drones and, later, glide bombs.
Defense Express, citing Business Insider, reported that Atreyd has already shipped one DWS-1 unit to Ukraine, where it will initially protect critical infrastructure from long-range attack drones. An unnamed company co-founder described the concept as a “minefield of flying drones” designed to form an aerial barrier against incoming threats.
The DWS-1 system consists of 200 FPV-type interceptor drones connected to an AI-powered command system that can coordinate the swarm without relying on GPS. Each drone is equipped with explosives and can operate autonomously or under the control of a single operator managing up to 100 drones at once.
Atreyd has integrated 3D terrain mapping and a friend-or-foe identification system to enable the DWS-1 to function in electronic warfare conditions, such as those commonly found in Ukraine. The company considers the system the “last layer of defense” against air threats like Shahed drones and Russian guided bombs (known as KABs).
The cost of each FPV drone within the system is estimated at several thousand dollars. Atreyd claims it has already completed internal testing, but Ukraine will provide the first real combat environment for the technology.
Atreyd is among three companies selected through a NATO competition to develop advanced countermeasures against Russian glide bombs. If the DWS-1 proves effective during its first operational trials, Ukrainian forces could deploy it closer to the front lines to intercept KABs in real time.
Earlier, Reuters reported that the European Commission had expanded its proposed “drone wall” along the EU’s eastern border into a broader continental initiative. The new European Drone Defence Initiative aims to coordinate detection, interception, and intelligence-sharing capabilities across member states to counter aerial threats, including those linked to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
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