Solutions to win: first "Murakha" ground drones arrive on frontlines, aiding Ukrainian defenders in battle against enemy
The ground drone "Murakha" [which means an "ant" in Ukrainian – ed.], developed by the Ternopil-based company "Robotyzovani Kompleksy," [Robotized Complexes – ed,] was created from the ground up. Development on the platform started in October 2022.
The manufacturer aimed to release a universal robotic complex similar to foreign ones in terms of tactical and technical characteristics but significantly cheaper.
Today, "Murakha" has already passed tests in the third generation and is constantly being improved. The first complexes were delivered to Kharkiv, where Ukrainian military units used them in actual combat situations.
What is the problem?
Deploying the versatile robotic system "Murakha" in combat situations minimizes the human factor. Ukrainian soldiers would no longer need to jeopardize their lives in tasks such as evacuating fellow troops or carrying out basic logistical operations. A drone can complete these tasks in their place.
The platform is fully available for serial production and mass application to meet the army's needs. The cost of "Murakha" is 960 thousand hryvnias. For example, the Themis robot, similar in tactical and technical characteristics, from the Estonian company Milrem Robotics, costs 350 thousand dollars (over 14 million hryvnias).
What is the solution?
The "Murakha" platform's primary purpose is to handle logistical tasks, such as remote rescue and transportation of injured individuals, and deliver supplies like food, water, ammunition, and fuel to the front line. The platform was aptly named, as it can carry a weight of up to one ton despite weighing only 350 kilograms.
In addition, the complex can be equipped with an automated turret containing a large-caliber machine gun. Other weapons systems can also be integrated into it. Thanks to "Murakha," one can open fire on the enemy workforce or light armored vehicles from inconspicuous places.
"In the modern Russian-Ukrainian war conditions, such a ground-based robotic complex can perform many tasks more efficiently than humans. The drone can evacuate two wounded at once without involving four soldiers. For this purpose, it can transport large loads, tow small combat equipment, and move in off-road conditions. We created "Murakha" to replace soldiers in difficult areas of the front as much as possible. After all, saving the lives of our defenders is the main priority," the founder of the project, Ihor Chaikivskyi, said.
How does it work?
One of the ground drone's key advantages is its remote control. The operator controls the platform from a safe place, and it can move away from him at a distance of several kilometers, with a range of up to 30 km.
Most of the elements that make up the ground drone are from Ukrainian manufacturers. The team also uses details of its development. Specialists simultaneously assemble several "Murakha" complexes, and in a month, they are ready to produce up to 12-15 units of such equipment.
"Introducing "Murakha" for Ukraine's armed forces also saves valuable training time for drone operators. Since controlling a UAV can be a difficult task, the technology of the "Murakha" is comparable to a children's remote-controlled car and does not require specific skills," the chief engineer of "Robotized Complexes" Maksym Radominsky says.
The military currently uses a smaller version of the "Murakha," known as the "Minion" sapper drone. Testing of the "Minion" is already underway in one of the Defense Forces units.
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It is worth mentioning that Ukrainian engineers and programmers are gearing up to implement cutting-edge technologies for defending military equipment against drones and missiles, potentially altering the dynamics of warfare.
