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Ukraine Turns to Formula 1 Engineers for Its Next Generation of MAGURA Naval Drones
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Ukraine’s defense technology company UFORCE, whose portfolio includes the MAGURA naval drone, is recruiting engineers with Formula 1 experience to apply technologies developed for high-performance motorsport to Ukrainian unmanned systems.
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According to an interview with UFORCE CEO Oleg Rogynskyy published by DOU on September 23, specialists from Formula 1 have increasingly joined the company, bringing expertise in composites, carbon fiber, sensors, engine optimization, and reducing weight without sacrificing reliability.
🔴 Ukraine's HUR has deployed the Magura naval drone against ground targets in temporary occupied Crimea for the first time.
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The strike successfully took out a Russian command vehicle for the "Podlet" radar and "Parol-4" IFF systems. pic.twitter.com/nilmKC4ADy
“Formula 1 specialists have started coming to us en masse,” Rogynskyy said.
He said their experience is particularly relevant because Formula 1 engineers routinely work to remove unnecessary weight while maintaining reliability and rapidly redesigning systems—a combination that translates directly into requirements for unmanned platforms.
UFORCE pairs the Formula 1 specialists with Ukrainian engineers to work jointly on development projects. According to Rogynskyy, the company is particularly interested in their ability to optimize electric and conventional engines, work with advanced composite materials, and balance weight against energy consumption, computing power, and operational range.
The recruitment effort comes as UFORCE expands its engineering operations both inside and outside Ukraine. The company employs more than 1,000 people and operates R&D capabilities in several countries, while most of its workforce remains in Ukraine, Rogynskyy told DOU.
UFORCE has R&D operations in the UK and the US, where it has announced cooperation with ReconCraft on development and manufacturing. Rogynskyy said overseas engineering teams allow the company to develop systems for operating conditions that differ significantly from those in Ukraine, including larger waves in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Such requirements involve larger vessels, Kevlar reinforcement, and different approaches to autonomy, with some of the resulting engineering methods later applicable to systems developed for Ukraine.
The company is also looking beyond motorsport for specialists. Rogynskyy said UFORCE recently searched for Ukrainian engineers working at major Western technology and defense companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Anduril, and Palantir.
The company says its overseas structure allows Ukrainian specialists abroad to contribute to defense projects without relocating their families to Ukraine.
Software is a central part of UFORCE’s development strategy. According to Rogynskyy, the company’s different unmanned platforms operate on a common software layer, requiring engineers to integrate hardware, autonomy, sensors, and computing systems across multiple types of equipment.
UFORCE’s portfolio includes the MAGURA naval drone family, Nemesis and R18 aerial systems, and ground robotic platforms. DOU reported that the company’s systems have collectively conducted more than 150,000 combat missions, while MAGURA naval drones have damaged or destroyed more than a dozen Russian vessels.
Rogynskyy said the company ultimately intends to integrate unmanned platforms operating on land, at sea, in the air, and in counter-drone roles through a common software architecture.
MAGURA naval drones have also been adapted for air-defense missions. In May 2025, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence said MAGURA V7 drones armed with US-made AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles shot down two Russian Su-30SM fighter jets over the Black Sea—the first documented case of a sea drone downing manned combat aircraft with such weapons.
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