FLYING KILLBOTS
Ukraine creating ‘unstoppable’ AI-powered super-drones that can ruthlessly hunt down Putin’s invaders without mercy
Scroll down to see The Sun's graphic on how the the new drones will blast targets on the battlefield
UKRAINE is building an army of AI-powered super-drones designed to ruthlessly hunt down and strike targets on their own.
The so-called "unstoppable" kamikaze UAVs should be able to avoid Russian interception or jamming and use image recognition to blitz its prey.
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The first step requires the UAV to be launched by a ground crew. Then as usual, an operator manually steers the drone towards its target.
However, one mile away from it, a state-of-the-art AI system will take over, helping it to dodge electronic blockers and air defence systems.
The super-drone will then zero in on the target by itself using image recognition and blast it to pieces.
Ukraine’s deputy defence minister, Kateryna Chernohorenko, said the new autonomous system would make the attack drones far less vulnerable to be downed by Russia.
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The official, who heads Kyiv’s negotiations on drones, said that the hardest challenge for drones is "the last mile of engagement" due to Moscow's vast collection of electronic warfare systems.
Instead, the new AI-powered system will be "based on visual navigation. We also call it ‘last-mile targeting’, homing in according to the image," Chernohorenko said.
As the operator isn't needed for the last stretch, this will allow pilots to be stationed further from the frontline.
The £1.2billion new scheme is back by more than £200million from a UK-led Western drone coalition, The Telegraph reports.
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Noah Sylvia, a research analyst at the Royal United Services Institute, called the AI system "machine vision".
She told CNN: “You train this model to identify geography and the target it is navigating to...When it is finally deployed, it is able to identify where it is."
Ukraine launches huge drone attack as '60 explosions' rock Russian airfields home to Putin’s bombers
“It does not require any communication (with satellites), it is completely autonomous,” Sylvia added.
Ukraine has remained relentless in its pursuit of new technologies that could be applied to the battlefield, both cheaply and en masse.
The war-torn country is now a world leader in drone production, developing frighteningly effective marine drones, including the renowned "Sea Baby", as well as killer kamikaze FPV drones.
In a continuous embarrassment for Vladimir Putin, Kyiv has used its comparatively inexpensive homemade drones to destroy his multi-million pound tanks on the battlefield or his warships in the Black Sea - capturing each morale-boosting hit in on camera.
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With the growth of its drone development, Ukraine is gaining an edge over Russia with increasingly precise weapons to hit high-value targets hundreds of miles into enemy territory.
Vasyl Maliuk, the head of Ukraine's security services, the SBU, said recently: "We will continue to work, while the gas station country (Russia) continues to burn."
Last week, incredible footage showed the moment a Ukrainian drone blitzed one of Putin's war factories - at least 660 miles behind enemy lines.
The kamikaze UAV erupted into a fireball after crashing into the plant in Yelabuga, where it is understood Iranian killer drones are assembled, forcing panicked workers to flee.
Just days before, Ukraine used a barrage of drones and missiles to destroy one of Russia's biggest mechanised charges since the start of the war - obliterating 12 tanks in a single day.
Dramatic footage captured a column of 48 Russian tanks and fighting vehicles scrambling as they were picked off one at a time by Ukraine's skilled drone operators and ground forces.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has unveiled its new tiny Robot Wars-style suicide land drone said to be capable of traversing any terrain a jeep can and getting inside tiny holes.
In a spectacular show, Kyiv released footage of the Ratel S, dubbed the "Honey Badger", blowing up a bridge to prevent Russian troops advancing.
The unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) carries anti-tank mines and other explosive devices, is used as a mobile warhead to destroy enemy tanks, trenches or infrastructure.
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Elsewhere, harrowing reports claim Putin's forces have been unleashing horrific chemical attacks on Ukrainian soldiers.
Russian troops are allegedly sending drones along the frontline daily to drop banned packages full of tear gas and other dangerous chemicals on unsuspecting Ukrainian troops.
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