{"id":1836415,"date":"2026-03-20T06:40:59","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T03:40:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1836415"},"modified":"2026-03-20T06:40:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T03:40:59","slug":"how-drones-and-ground-robots-are-reshaping-war-in-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1836415","title":{"rendered":"How drones and ground robots are reshaping war in Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76338022_6.jpg”]<\/p>\n

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https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5Abpk<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
Experts say Ukrainian expertise is a valuable commodity right nowImage: Efrem Lukatsky\/AP Photo\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Fighting in the Middle East<\/a>\u00a0has revealed that many nations are ill equipped\u00a0to\u00a0face\u00a0new forms of warfare, including massive\u00a0deployment\u00a0of drones<\/a>. Attempts to shoot down Iranian drones in the Gulf states using expensive missiles from Western air defense systems have had limited\u00a0success.<\/p>\n

However, in four years of war, Ukraine has learned to combat Iranian and Russian drones using significantly more cost-effective solutions. This has fueled growing interest<\/a> in the country’s interceptor drones and its first-hand expertise in drone defense.<\/p>\n

“It is clear to everyone that today, only Ukraine’s experience can truly help intercept massive attacks by (Iranian) Shahed drones,”\u00a0said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a> in a WhatsApp conversation with journalists.<\/p>\n

“I think everyone has realized that without our military, our pilots, without our software and our radar system,\u00a0without all of that, the interceptor drones simply don’t work.”<\/p>\n

\n

How drones and ground robots are reshaping war in Ukraine<\/h2>\n

Drones know-how has a short shelf life\u00a0<\/h2>\n

However, according to Dmytro Sledyuk of the Ukrainian Dronarium Academy, the current\u00a0demand for Ukrainian technology and expertise is likely to peak soon.<\/p>\n

“In the initial phase, Ukraine is ready to supply interceptor drones,” he said.\u00a0“But these will likely be quickly copied by partners and produced in larger quantities, as the technologies used by Ukraine are not particularly complex or unique. They are heavily modified FPV drones.”<\/p>\n

He told DW that Ukrainian expertise is a “valuable commodity” right now, stressing that\u00a0the government should remove bureaucratic hurdles so the nation can meet international demand for Ukrainian products and knowledge.<\/p>\n

“We need to simplify access to this market,” he said. “Our private companies and the military can’t just travel to the Middle East and get started up there. Quick decisions by the government are needed. If the whole process drags on for over a year, interest will wane.”<\/p>\n

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said\u00a0on social media that Ukraine<\/a> had already received 11 requests from Iran’s neighboring countries, European states\u00a0and the US<\/a> on how to combat Iranian drones. Kyiv has already responded to some of them with “concrete decisions and concrete support.”<\/p>\n

Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine’s\u00a0National Security and Defense Council, together with\u00a0the armed forces, decides which requests Ukraine can accept without compromising its own defense capabilities. In an interview with The New York Times<\/em>, Zelenskyy said that\u00a0Kyiv<\/a> had already deployed a team of experts and interceptor drones to protect US military bases in Jordan from Iranian combat drones.<\/p>\n

\"Volodymyr
Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready to share its combat-proven technology \u2014 but wants help in returnImage: Danylo Antoniuk\/Avalon\/Photoshot\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What\u00a0Ukraine can offer its allies in terms of drones and expertise<\/h2>\n

The Dronarium Academy’s\u00a0Sledyuk points out that training a pilot for drone defense takes about five months. This includes theoretical knowledge and the extensive motor skills training\u00a0needed, for example, for a\u00a0pilot to manually guide a fast drone toward a rapidly moving target.<\/p>\n

“It’s impossible to teach this in one or two weeks, or even a month. Ukraine can provide fully trained specialists and training on existing technology to train pilots en masse on-site. Our expertise has grown\u00a0steadily during the\u00a0war with Russia<\/a>, so our instructors are\u00a0one step ahead,” Sledyuk said.<\/p>\n

Marta\u00a0Bukhtiiarova from the Department of Defense at the Kyiv School of Economics said\u00a0that while Ukraine’s partners have so far welcomed all innovations from the Ukrainian army, they do not know how to use them or what benefits they offer.<\/p>\n

“The current situation with Iran could be the first step toward a broader understanding of how Ukraine’s combat experience can be integrated into the military approach of other countries,” Bukhtiiarova told DW.<\/p>\n

Zelenskyy has repeatedly said that Ukraine is ready to share its combat-proven experience and technology. In return, he expects partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, particularly with Patriot missiles and related systems, as well as applying diplomatic pressure on Russia.<\/p>\n

Kyiv wants, among other things, to conclude a drone agreement with Washington.<\/p>\n

“A year ago, we offered the US a drone deal that includes interceptor drones. Essentially, it’s about our experience and our production capacities on a scale that we are not currently utilizing,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “We made this offer primarily to the Americans, our partners. The fact that the Middle East is now approaching us is part of this drone deal. That is why the drone deal is absolutely relevant for the US.”<\/p>\n

US\u00a0President Donald Trump<\/a>, however, said in a recent\u00a0interview with Fox News Radio that the US would not need support for drone defense against Iran.<\/p>\n

\n

Are drones the real game changer for Iran? <\/h2>\n

Is it possible to export Ukrainian drones?<\/h2>\n

In early February, Zelenskyy announced on his Telegram channel that Ukraine was opening up to arms exports. By 2026, there will be 10\u00a0Ukrainian export offices in Europe \u2014 in the Baltic states and Northern Europe. However, local\u00a0manufacturers complain that exporting drones is nearly impossible. The export of military equipment had effectively been halted after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Authorities are currently negotiating with manufacturers to establish an export model that works for all parties.<\/p>\n

“Drone exports ensure stability and the survival of individual companies. During the war, the number of drone manufacturers has multiplied. At the same time, the state’s purchases from them has long since peaked,” said Buchtiiarowa of the Kyiv School of Economics.<\/p>\n

She emphasized\u00a0that if the state stops buying from them, companies face the threat of halting production. For this reason, she says, the approval of exports is of crucial importance for national defense.<\/p>\n

Yevhen Motolyshenko of Athlon Avia, a company that specializes in drones, stressed\u00a0that exports would enable companies to expand their production. This, in turn, would benefit the Ukrainian government.<\/p>\n

“We produce, export, generate profits there\u00a0and return to Ukraine with new capital and new technologies,”\u00a0he told DW.<\/p>\n

However, this requires a stable and clear export policy. According to him, joint production facilities could also be established with international partners.<\/p>\n

Such projects, Motolyshenko said, would boost the development of Ukrainian technologies. They would also attract investment and facilitate access to international funding programs.<\/p>\n

“This would\u00a0not only contribute to the development of the Ukrainian defense industry but would also strengthen the security of our allies,”\u00a0he said.<\/p>\n

Marta\u00a0Bukhtiiarova pointed\u00a0out another important benefit of teaming up:\u00a0By manufacturing drones and technologies abroad, companies would avoid the risk of Russian missile strikes.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared in Ukrainian.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

\n

Fighting in the Middle East<\/a>\u00a0has revealed that many nations are ill equipped\u00a0to\u00a0face\u00a0new forms of warfare, including massive\u00a0deployment\u00a0of drones<\/a>. Attempts to shoot down Iranian drones in the Gulf states using expensive missiles from Western air defense systems have had limited\u00a0success.<\/p>\n

However, in four years of war, Ukraine has learned to combat Iranian and Russian drones using significantly more cost-effective solutions. This has fueled growing interest<\/a> in the country’s interceptor drones and its first-hand expertise in drone defense.<\/p>\n

“It is clear to everyone that today, only Ukraine’s experience can truly help intercept massive attacks by (Iranian) Shahed drones,”\u00a0said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a> in a WhatsApp conversation with journalists.<\/p>\n

“I think everyone has realized that without our military, our pilots, without our software and our radar system,\u00a0without all of that, the interceptor drones simply don’t work.”<\/p>\n

\n

How drones and ground robots are reshaping war in Ukraine<\/h2>\n

Drones know-how has a short shelf life\u00a0<\/h2>\n

However, according to Dmytro Sledyuk of the Ukrainian Dronarium Academy, the current\u00a0demand for Ukrainian technology and expertise is likely to peak soon.<\/p>\n

“In the initial phase, Ukraine is ready to supply interceptor drones,” he said.\u00a0“But these will likely be quickly copied by partners and produced in larger quantities, as the technologies used by Ukraine are not particularly complex or unique. They are heavily modified FPV drones.”<\/p>\n

He told DW that Ukrainian expertise is a “valuable commodity” right now, stressing that\u00a0the government should remove bureaucratic hurdles so the nation can meet international demand for Ukrainian products and knowledge.<\/p>\n

“We need to simplify access to this market,” he said. “Our private companies and the military can’t just travel to the Middle East and get started up there. Quick decisions by the government are needed. If the whole process drags on for over a year, interest will wane.”<\/p>\n

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said\u00a0on social media that Ukraine<\/a> had already received 11 requests from Iran’s neighboring countries, European states\u00a0and the US<\/a> on how to combat Iranian drones. Kyiv has already responded to some of them with “concrete decisions and concrete support.”<\/p>\n

Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine’s\u00a0National Security and Defense Council, together with\u00a0the armed forces, decides which requests Ukraine can accept without compromising its own defense capabilities. In an interview with The New York Times<\/em>, Zelenskyy said that\u00a0Kyiv<\/a> had already deployed a team of experts and interceptor drones to protect US military bases in Jordan from Iranian combat drones.<\/p>\n

\"Volodymyr
Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready to share its combat-proven technology \u2014 but wants help in returnImage: Danylo Antoniuk\/Avalon\/Photoshot\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What\u00a0Ukraine can offer its allies in terms of drones and expertise<\/h2>\n

The Dronarium Academy’s\u00a0Sledyuk points out that training a pilot for drone defense takes about five months. This includes theoretical knowledge and the extensive motor skills training\u00a0needed, for example, for a\u00a0pilot to manually guide a fast drone toward a rapidly moving target.<\/p>\n

“It’s impossible to teach this in one or two weeks, or even a month. Ukraine can provide fully trained specialists and training on existing technology to train pilots en masse on-site. Our expertise has grown\u00a0steadily during the\u00a0war with Russia<\/a>, so our instructors are\u00a0one step ahead,” Sledyuk said.<\/p>\n

Marta\u00a0Bukhtiiarova from the Department of Defense at the Kyiv School of Economics said\u00a0that while Ukraine’s partners have so far welcomed all innovations from the Ukrainian army, they do not know how to use them or what benefits they offer.<\/p>\n

“The current situation with Iran could be the first step toward a broader understanding of how Ukraine’s combat experience can be integrated into the military approach of other countries,” Bukhtiiarova told DW.<\/p>\n

Zelenskyy has repeatedly said that Ukraine is ready to share its combat-proven experience and technology. In return, he expects partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, particularly with Patriot missiles and related systems, as well as applying diplomatic pressure on Russia.<\/p>\n

Kyiv wants, among other things, to conclude a drone agreement with Washington.<\/p>\n

“A year ago, we offered the US a drone deal that includes interceptor drones. Essentially, it’s about our experience and our production capacities on a scale that we are not currently utilizing,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “We made this offer primarily to the Americans, our partners. The fact that the Middle East is now approaching us is part of this drone deal. That is why the drone deal is absolutely relevant for the US.”<\/p>\n

US\u00a0President Donald Trump<\/a>, however, said in a recent\u00a0interview with Fox News Radio that the US would not need support for drone defense against Iran.<\/p>\n

\n

Are drones the real game changer for Iran? <\/h2>\n

Is it possible to export Ukrainian drones?<\/h2>\n

In early February, Zelenskyy announced on his Telegram channel that Ukraine was opening up to arms exports. By 2026, there will be 10\u00a0Ukrainian export offices in Europe \u2014 in the Baltic states and Northern Europe. However, local\u00a0manufacturers complain that exporting drones is nearly impossible. The export of military equipment had effectively been halted after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Authorities are currently negotiating with manufacturers to establish an export model that works for all parties.<\/p>\n

“Drone exports ensure stability and the survival of individual companies. During the war, the number of drone manufacturers has multiplied. At the same time, the state’s purchases from them has long since peaked,” said Buchtiiarowa of the Kyiv School of Economics.<\/p>\n

She emphasized\u00a0that if the state stops buying from them, companies face the threat of halting production. For this reason, she says, the approval of exports is of crucial importance for national defense.<\/p>\n

Yevhen Motolyshenko of Athlon Avia, a company that specializes in drones, stressed\u00a0that exports would enable companies to expand their production. This, in turn, would benefit the Ukrainian government.<\/p>\n

“We produce, export, generate profits there\u00a0and return to Ukraine with new capital and new technologies,”\u00a0he told DW.<\/p>\n

However, this requires a stable and clear export policy. According to him, joint production facilities could also be established with international partners.<\/p>\n

Such projects, Motolyshenko said, would boost the development of Ukrainian technologies. They would also attract investment and facilitate access to international funding programs.<\/p>\n

“This would\u00a0not only contribute to the development of the Ukrainian defense industry but would also strengthen the security of our allies,”\u00a0he said.<\/p>\n

Marta\u00a0Bukhtiiarova pointed\u00a0out another important benefit of teaming up:\u00a0By manufacturing drones and technologies abroad, companies would avoid the risk of Russian missile strikes.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared in Ukrainian.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Fighting in the Middle East<\/a>\u00a0has revealed that many nations are ill equipped\u00a0to\u00a0face\u00a0new forms of warfare, including massive\u00a0deployment\u00a0of drones<\/a>. Attempts to shoot down Iranian drones in the Gulf states using expensive missiles from Western air defense systems have had limited\u00a0success.<\/p>\n

However, in four years of war, Ukraine has learned to combat Iranian and Russian drones using significantly more cost-effective solutions. This has fueled growing interest<\/a> in the country’s interceptor drones and its first-hand expertise in drone defense.<\/p>\n

“It is clear to everyone that today, only Ukraine’s experience can truly help intercept massive attacks by (Iranian) Shahed drones,”\u00a0said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a> in a WhatsApp conversation with journalists.<\/p>\n

“I think everyone has realized that without our military, our pilots, without our software and our radar system,\u00a0without all of that, the interceptor drones simply don’t work.”<\/p>\n

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n

However, according to Dmytro Sledyuk of the Ukrainian Dronarium Academy, the current\u00a0demand for Ukrainian technology and expertise is likely to peak soon.<\/p>\n

“In the initial phase, Ukraine is ready to supply interceptor drones,” he said.\u00a0“But these will likely be quickly copied by partners and produced in larger quantities, as the technologies used by Ukraine are not particularly complex or unique. They are heavily modified FPV drones.”<\/p>\n

He told DW that Ukrainian expertise is a “valuable commodity” right now, stressing that\u00a0the government should remove bureaucratic hurdles so the nation can meet international demand for Ukrainian products and knowledge.<\/p>\n

“We need to simplify access to this market,” he said. “Our private companies and the military can’t just travel to the Middle East and get started up there. Quick decisions by the government are needed. If the whole process drags on for over a year, interest will wane.”<\/p>\n

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said\u00a0on social media that Ukraine<\/a> had already received 11 requests from Iran’s neighboring countries, European states\u00a0and the US<\/a> on how to combat Iranian drones. Kyiv has already responded to some of them with “concrete decisions and concrete support.”<\/p>\n

Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine’s\u00a0National Security and Defense Council, together with\u00a0the armed forces, decides which requests Ukraine can accept without compromising its own defense capabilities. In an interview with The New York Times<\/em>, Zelenskyy said that\u00a0Kyiv<\/a> had already deployed a team of experts and interceptor drones to protect US military bases in Jordan from Iranian combat drones.<\/p>\n

The Dronarium Academy’s\u00a0Sledyuk points out that training a pilot for drone defense takes about five months. This includes theoretical knowledge and the extensive motor skills training\u00a0needed, for example, for a\u00a0pilot to manually guide a fast drone toward a rapidly moving target.<\/p>\n

“It’s impossible to teach this in one or two weeks, or even a month. Ukraine can provide fully trained specialists and training on existing technology to train pilots en masse on-site. Our expertise has grown\u00a0steadily during the\u00a0war with Russia<\/a>, so our instructors are\u00a0one step ahead,” Sledyuk said.<\/p>\n

Marta\u00a0Bukhtiiarova from the Department of Defense at the Kyiv School of Economics said\u00a0that while Ukraine’s partners have so far welcomed all innovations from the Ukrainian army, they do not know how to use them or what benefits they offer.<\/p>\n

“The current situation with Iran could be the first step toward a broader understanding of how Ukraine’s combat experience can be integrated into the military approach of other countries,” Bukhtiiarova told DW.<\/p>\n

Zelenskyy has repeatedly said that Ukraine is ready to share its combat-proven experience and technology. In return, he expects partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, particularly with Patriot missiles and related systems, as well as applying diplomatic pressure on Russia.<\/p>\n

Kyiv wants, among other things, to conclude a drone agreement with Washington.<\/p>\n

“A year ago, we offered the US a drone deal that includes interceptor drones. Essentially, it’s about our experience and our production capacities on a scale that we are not currently utilizing,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “We made this offer primarily to the Americans, our partners. The fact that the Middle East is now approaching us is part of this drone deal. That is why the drone deal is absolutely relevant for the US.”<\/p>\n

US\u00a0President Donald Trump<\/a>, however, said in a recent\u00a0interview with Fox News Radio that the US would not need support for drone defense against Iran.<\/p>\n

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n

In early February, Zelenskyy announced on his Telegram channel that Ukraine was opening up to arms exports. By 2026, there will be 10\u00a0Ukrainian export offices in Europe \u2014 in the Baltic states and Northern Europe. However, local\u00a0manufacturers complain that exporting drones is nearly impossible. The export of military equipment had effectively been halted after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Authorities are currently negotiating with manufacturers to establish an export model that works for all parties.<\/p>\n

“Drone exports ensure stability and the survival of individual companies. During the war, the number of drone manufacturers has multiplied. At the same time, the state’s purchases from them has long since peaked,” said Buchtiiarowa of the Kyiv School of Economics.<\/p>\n

She emphasized\u00a0that if the state stops buying from them, companies face the threat of halting production. For this reason, she says, the approval of exports is of crucial importance for national defense.<\/p>\n

Yevhen Motolyshenko of Athlon Avia, a company that specializes in drones, stressed\u00a0that exports would enable companies to expand their production. This, in turn, would benefit the Ukrainian government.<\/p>\n

“We produce, export, generate profits there\u00a0and return to Ukraine with new capital and new technologies,”\u00a0he told DW.<\/p>\n

However, this requires a stable and clear export policy. According to him, joint production facilities could also be established with international partners.<\/p>\n

Such projects, Motolyshenko said, would boost the development of Ukrainian technologies. They would also attract investment and facilitate access to international funding programs.<\/p>\n

“This would\u00a0not only contribute to the development of the Ukrainian defense industry but would also strengthen the security of our allies,”\u00a0he said.<\/p>\n

Marta\u00a0Bukhtiiarova pointed\u00a0out another important benefit of teaming up:\u00a0By manufacturing drones and technologies abroad, companies would avoid the risk of Russian missile strikes.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared in Ukrainian.<\/em><\/p>\n

[analyse_source url=”https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/drone-defense-in-the-iran-war-what-can-ukraine-offer\/a-76410396″]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76338022_6.jpg”] https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5Abpk Experts say Ukrainian expertise is a valuable commodity right nowImage: Efrem Lukatsky\/AP Photo\/picture alliance Fighting in the Middle East\u00a0has revealed that many nations are ill equipped\u00a0to\u00a0face\u00a0new forms of warfare, including massive\u00a0deployment\u00a0of drones. Attempts to shoot down Iranian drones in the Gulf states using expensive missiles from Western air defense systems have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,74],"class_list":["post-1836415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dw-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1836415"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836415\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1836415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1836415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1836415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}