Ukrainian unit commander predicts drone warfare will be truly unmanned in a matter of months and won’t need human pilots [Video]

In just a matter of months, Ukraine may no longer need pilots for its drone force, a special drone unit commander said recently.

The expected shift towards autonomous and artificial intelligence-enabled systems would mark an important development in the continued drone arms race between Russia and Ukraine.

In as little as six months, Ukraine’s drone force could shift to AI systems, Robert Brovdi, the founder and commander of the “Madyar Birds” special drone unit, said in a conversation with The Economist earlier this month. He said the unmanned aerial vehicles will be “pilotless completely without any operators.”

He talked about the ongoing development and testing of hundreds of AI systems, explaining that soldiers will only need to launch the aircraft. From there, the drone “will decide on its own where to go and how to hit the target.” Brovdi added that the weapons will be able to tell friends from foes.

It’s unclear to which systems Brovdi is referring, although various Ukrainian and Western companies have …