#Brave One

At a one-day showcase of Ukrainian defense tech, manufacturers rolled out complementary UAV concepts meant to be used together: a heavy-range Cargo aircraft to carry supplies or drop munitions deep behind enemy lines; Sokil, an inexpensive front-line recon drone meant to be lost by the dozen; and Veresen, a carrier platform that can deliver two strike or recon copters into contested territory — or act as a stand-alone munition.

At 16, Yurii launched a start-up to design anti-drone ammunition. Now 18, he balances school, prototypes, and a call to defend Ukraine’s skies.

Ukraine’s defense sector is accelerating its shift toward AI-driven warfare, as drone maker Vyriy and autonomy developer The Fourth Law (TFL) begin mass production of precision FPV drones equipped with advanced terminal guidance.