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The Ukrainian government has unveiled an initiative dubbed BRAVE1 that aims to promote innovation in the development of drones and other technologies critical to Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia. The government hopes to bring state, military, and private sector developers working on defense issues together into a tech cluster that would give Ukraine an advantage on the battlefield.
The initiative, which will receive over 100 million hryvnias ($2.7 million) in funding, aims to streamline the development and production of military technologies by encouraging cooperation between the various stakeholders.
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is common in both Ukraine and Russia, with Russia using Iran’s long-range Shahed-136 exploding drones to damage Ukrainian power plants and instill fear in civilians. In response, the Ukrainian government launched a public fundraising drive last year asking foreign donors to help build an “army of drones.” The BRAVE1 initiative hopes to bring together military personnel, businesses, and engineers to develop new technologies and improve existing ones.
While some experts believe that the platform may create only a minimal boost for the development of military technology, Oleksandr Kviatkovskyi, a board member of combat drone innovation nonprofit Aerorozvidka, sees BRAVE1 as a platform the military can use to communicate its electronic warfare needs and provide strategic support to the military technology industry.
“Technologies help save lives,” said Fevzi Ametov, a Ukrainian soldier and co-founder of Drone.ua, a company that specializes in drones. According to Ametov, Ukraine is investing significantly more resources in military technology than it did before Russia’s invasion. His company distributes a portable anti-drone gun that uses radio signals to jam drones and bring them down. Ukrainian forces are using hundreds of the $12,000 guns, which can run for up to 30 minutes on a single fully charged battery, “with more and more coming,” he said.
The Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, believes that Ukraine must strive for technological superiority when facing an enemy that has more troops and equipment. “No matter how much enthusiasm you have to defend your country, you just physically cannot do it,” he said. “That’s why it’s important to build institutions so we can convert the energy of all volunteers, businesses, and active citizens into concrete big projects that will continue to work for decades.”
The BRAVE1 initiative seeks to bring together state, military, and private sector developers to streamline and promote innovation in the development of drones and other technologies critical during Russia’s war in Ukraine. With a budget of over 100 million hryvnias (about $2.7 million), the government hopes to fund projects that have the potential to help Ukraine win the 14-month conflict.
According to Oleksandr Kviatkovskyi, a board member of combat drone innovation nonprofit Aerorozvidka, Brave1 provides a platform for the military to communicate its electronic warfare needs and provide strategic support to the military technology industry.
Kviatkovskyi acknowledges that even one year to develop a product is a short time, but he is not sure whether the platform can create a significant boost for war technologies. Nevertheless, he believes that the initiative can help to some extent, even if it is minimal.
Fevzi Ametov, a Ukrainian soldier and co-founder of Drone.ua, a company that specializes in drones, believes that businesses and their engineers already incorporate feedback from military personnel into their products. Ametov claims that any assault without drones is like going blind into a minefield and that technologies help save lives. He notes that Ukraine is investing many more resources in military technology than it did before Russia’s invasion.
Ametov, who fights on the Ukraine war’s front line while still involved in running his company, expects to play an advisory role in the BRAVE1 initiative. His company distributes a portable anti-drone gun that uses radio signals to jam drones and bring them down. According to Ametov, Ukrainian forces are using hundreds of the $12,000 guns, which can run for up to 30 minutes on a single fully charged battery, “with more and more coming.”
For now, Ukraine and Russia are about on par in their ability to employ drones, according to Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s minister of digital transformation. But when facing an enemy that has more troops and equipment, Ukraine must strive for technological superiority, he said.
“No matter how much enthusiasm you have to defend your country, you just physically cannot do it,” the minister said.
“That’s why it’s important to build institutions, so we can convert the energy of all volunteers, businesses, and active citizens into concrete big projects that will continue to work for decades,” he said.
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles has become a significant aspect of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, with both sides frequently employing drones for reconnaissance and attacks. While Russia extensively uses Iran’s long-range Shahed-136 exploding drones to damage Ukrainian power plants and instill fear in civilians, Ukraine launched a public fundraising drive last year, seeking foreign donors to help build an “army of drones.”
In conclusion, the Ukrainian government’s initiative to streamline and promote innovation in the development of drones and other technologies critical during Russia’s war in Ukraine is a significant move towards achieving technological superiority in the conflict. With a budget of over 100 million hryvnias, the government hopes to fund projects that have the potential to help Ukraine win the ongoing 14-month conflict.
