Ukraine tests locally made ST1 demining drone

Ukraine's Digital Ministry tests locally made ST1 drone to use it for clearing mine-contaminated lands, says Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

What is the problem?

Causing severe destruction to Ukraine's ecology and civilian infrastructure, Russian forces have also contaminated the territories with thousands of landmines and explosives.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ukraine has a mined area of more than 174,000 square kilometers, which includes critical infrastructure, social and private sectors, fields, forests, and water bodies.

The war will come to an end, but sappers will still have a lot of work to do, which will probably take ten years.

What is the solution?

Ukraine is testing the ST1 autonomous demining drone, which can make the demining process much faster and safer.

How does it work?

ST1 is an autonomous drone for mine detection, equipped with an inductor coil and sensors that allow it to fly around obstacles at low altitudes.

A "powerful microcomputer" is also on board that processes data and transmits it to the sappers in real-time. Fedorov notes that, on average, ST1 works four times faster than humans.

This will significantly speed up the demining Ukrainian territories and make it safer. For example, sappers of the State Emergency Service, the Armed Forces, and the National Police will be able to control the drone and search for mines from a safe place, the minister said.

The developers are already actively testing the prototype in the field. The team is collecting feedback, working on improvements, and preparing to scale up production.

In October 2023, the government simplified the import of materials to produce combat parts and ammunition for drones.

The Cabinet of Ministers has removed bureaucratic obstacles to the procurement of Ukrainian drones by expanding the list of military and dual-use goods that can be imported without the permission of the State Export Control Service.