Ukraine’s Drone War Is Changing Every Few Months as Military Warns 2027 Will Demand Faster Tech

Ukraine will need faster battlefield innovation, greater use of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, and a more flexible defense industry to keep pace with Russia as drone warfare continues to transform the front.

According to a UNITED24 Media correspondent at the forum, military commanders, defense manufacturers, and technology experts discussed the challenges at the “Defense 2027. Army, Technology, Industry” event in Kyiv on September 25, organized by Radio NV and the National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries (NAUDI).

Yurii Fedorenko, commander of Ukraine’s 429th Separate Unmanned Systems Brigade “Achilles,” said improvements in batteries and communications could significantly extend drone range and endurance, while warning that Ukraine also needs alternatives to Starlink for battlefield connectivity.

“Communications are the foundation,” Fedorenko said. “If we do not work toward replacing the Starlink satellite communications system, at some point we could lose the effectiveness of a significant number of strike crews.”

Fedorenko said drones are currently the main tactical threat on the battlefield, with Ukrainian troops particularly vulnerable while moving to positions or operating in areas where personnel are concentrated. He also predicted that the next stage of warfare would expand “not only into the air and range, but also underground.”

He added that artificial intelligence will increasingly be needed to process the enormous volumes of battlefield information that human operators cannot analyze alone.

Maria Berlinska, co-founder of the Dignitas Foundation and head of the Victory Drones project, said the technological landscape at the front can now change within just several months.

“Whoever is faster is more likely to stay alive,” Berlinska said, arguing that Ukraine should focus on engineering forecasts capable of identifying Russian technological developments six months to a year in advance.

“We can start winning the war if we start listening to our engineers,” she said. “When the country’s leadership has analysis and recommendations on the table, state resources can be directed toward acting ahead of the threat.”

She also called for greater reliance on private defense companies, saying the state should define future battlefield requirements, provide clear rules and financing, and allow private manufacturers to develop the necessary solutions.

Military journalist Yurii Butusov described the current battlefield as a “war of startups,” saying individual Ukrainian units increasingly have to operate like technology companies because weapons and battlefield systems can change every month.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reported that domestically produced systems accounted for 95% of all unmanned aerial vehicles procured for the country’s Defense Forces, underscoring the growing role of Ukraine’s defense industry in supplying frontline units.

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