Ukraine’s defense ministry opens hackathon to seek best tech solutions to improve drones

On January 28-29, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is organizing a hackathon to find the best technological solutions to improve unmanned aerial systems on the front lines, Rubryka reports.

What's the problem?

Back in March 2023, the Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, announced that the Ukrainian army is actively transforming and gaining unique experience in the most technological warfare in history. The increase in attack and reconnaissance drone production is vital for Ukraine, as it is much more cost-effective, and the country will not depend on other manufacturers. The training of engineers and designers and the development of the drone industry as a whole have become extremely relevant.

"Now, it is one of the key factors that directly brings us closer to victory and allows us to save countless lives. Where there are no drones, people become expendable," the Prometheus learning platform reports.

What's the solution?

Engineers, innovators, and the military with ideas for developing unmanned systems are invited to participate. Among the hackathon participants will be representatives of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Strategic Industries, and the defense tech cluster Brave1.

"We are gathering engineers, innovators, and soldiers who have ideas for developing winning technologies," the Ukrainian defense department noted.

How does it work?

The hackathon aims to create a tenfold technological advantage over the Russians and make machines, not humans, fight. Participants in the hackathon will work on challenges such as:

• Improving the autonomy of unmanned systems.
• Increasing their payload capacity.
• Developing new types of drones.
• Enhancing their control system.

All participants in the hackathon will receive certificates, and the winners will receive cash rewards. If you have already registered, check your email and confirm your identification details and experience. Select the challenge your team will work on. If you haven't filled out the participation form yet, register here. The last day of registration is January 23.

In related news, Ukraine welcomed the production of domestically developed Cobra strike drones with a flight range of up to 300 km. Armor-piercing ammunition for FPV drones has also been developed in Ukraine. They are effective against lightly armored vehicles (self-propelled artillery, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers) and protect against cumulative and anti-drone means. Ukrainians are also encouraged to join the project of assembling FPV drones at home.