Frontline engineering: The development of Ukrainian Unmanned Systems during the war ISWS Seminar Series with Emilie Berthelsen

Ukraine has become a world leader in drone development. For drones to remain operational on the front, systems are constantly tailored to changing demands, with software updates being pushed out daily. In this talk, we zoom in on the development practices and collaboration patterns that have facilitated this development, including the role of private and commercial actors, new innovation intermediaries and the armed forces over the course of the war with Russia. The resulting Ukrainian model of military innovation is decentralised and participatory with experimentation, research, and development occurring directly on the battlefield. This case highlights that leveraging the potential offered by commercial developments and software-defined technologies in combat necessitates shortened R&D and acquisition processes. However, these demands also challenge state oversight, accountability and control, stressing the importance of reflecting about responsible governance when drawing on Ukrainian lessons for Western force development.