New How Ukraine incorporates ‘Internet of Things’ in warfare

BLUF: The Ukrainian military is integrating the ‘Internet of Things’ into operational environments, using a vast number of sensors, cloud-based systems, and local networks to detect threats and immediately counter them. 

In other news: The State Service for Export Control has mapped out three different ways to resolve export issues. MPs will consider a new draft law allowing public-private partnerships in defense. And TacticMap is developing an application to improve situational awareness on the battlefield. 

THE BIG STORY: Ukrainian Army Goes All In on the Revolutionary ‘Internet of Things’

Acoustic sensors, drones, and internet access are transforming practices on the battlefield. 

These elements often work together as the Internet of Things — a network made up of various physical devices integrated into a single system. These devices can automatically send and exchange data via standard communication protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and others.

IoT has already become a core component of the Ukrainian army. Acoustic sensors, cameras, drones, and electronic warfare systems are combined into closed or cloud-based systems to enhance military knowledge of the battlefield.

The Ukrainian army has also made major progress in developing various smart devices and systems that improve situational awareness. 

One such example is Delta, a multi-layered command-and-control system that integrates several different data streams into a single interface. Data for Delta comes from various sources, from satellite imagery to radars, sensors, and GPS trackers. This national system enables network-centric warfare, providing real-time military intelligence and enabling rapid responses.

How the ‘OCHI’ system sees

A digital system called ‘OCHI’ (meaning ‘eyes’) has also taken on a pivotal role.  Led by Oleksandr Dmitriev, its development began in March 2022, when Dmitriev and his team realized that military commanders could benefit from the enormous amount of drone footage being shot in different areas of the battlefield. 

The system collects and analyzes footage collected by drone crews all over the frontline, allowing for quick decision-making and improving situational awareness. 

Its first major test occurred during the Kharkiv offensive operation in 2022, Dmitriev told Counteroffensive.Pro. Combat operations require technologies that ensure quick information collection, processing, and analysis.

"The moment of receiving information and implementing it must be quick. Seconds, not minutes or hours. This requires algorithms for everything to happen correctly," Dmitriev told Counteroffensive.Pro.

The system currently operates through an online environment, which is risky from a cybersecurity perspective, he said. With that in mind, developers are preparing to make ‘OCHI’ work on a local network. This means the system will operate through, for instance, Starlink, but it will require a local server and the military's closed data network. That way, all information, including classified data, will have greater protection from breaches.

The system combines drone footage with various tools that accelerate targeting, adjustment, and analytics. All the necessary equipment is purchased through charitable foundations. The developers have also created minimal system requirements for computers and other equipment to prevent supplier monopolies.

The Ukrainian army has already been granted a license to use OCHI free-of-charge.  With more than 12,000 sources of information plugged into the system, Dmitriev said the OCHI team is currently focused on achieving autonomy from the internet and integration with other systems. 

The combination of different subsystems allows the Ukrainian military to quickly identify threats and work on eliminating them.

"At the tactical level, everything must happen instantly. I see a tank – I strike the tank. This includes interactions with automated weapons," Dmitriev stressed.

How enemy artillery is detected: acoustic sensors

Enemy missiles and drones are detected by radars that can cost $500,000. Acoustic sensors are ten times less expensive, which is why Ukraine has thousands of them.

Acoustic detection technology is not new; it was used during World War II. But with today's artificial intelligence technologies and widespread internet availability, detection has become much more accurate.

Artificial intelligence allows for identifying specific types of targets while filtering out extraneous sounds, and the internet enables immediate transmission of this information. For example, the Ukrainian startup Zvook can detect cruise missiles at distances of up to 7 km, and drones up to 5 km. This is a shorter range than radars, which can scan territories for hundreds of kilometers, but each Zvook unit costs only $500. 

Additionally, Zvook transmits the data about detected targets to the Delta system in less than 12 seconds, and this data includes a nine-second sound recording. The false alarm rate is approximately 1.6 percent.

Currently, developers are working on integrating four microphones simultaneously to achieve directional accuracy with a margin of error of less than 5 degrees.

Elements of the IoT can be found in various cutting-edge weapons systems.

For example, Kvertus, an electronic warfare manufacturer, is creating a massive “anti-drone” ecosystem as part of the Atlas project, which aims to establish a unified network of electronic warfare systems to detect enemy targets and prevent the jamming of friendly drones in real-time.

Another example is a system developed by Vidar Systems, which makes acoustic equipment to detect enemy targets and positions. One system consists of three to ten sensors. The sensors work by triangulating the sound of artillery at a specific distance. 

“The system works in two steps: first, each sensor individually hears and processes the surrounding information, detecting gunshots and other sounds helpful to us. Then the result of their analysis is collected at one of the processing points and synthesized by a set of algorithms. As a result, this synthesis provides a set of useful information, including the expected coordinates of the enemy firing position,” Denys Sobchyshak, CEO and co-founder of Vidar Systems, told Counteroffensive.Pro.

One system with eight to ten sensors can cover a ten-kilometer line on the battlefield, but the system will be capable of working with five sensors with proper positioning. Put together, all the equipment weighs approximately 25 kilograms.

Charging stations on the front line

On the front line, military personnel have long used power stations like Bluetti or EcoFlow as energy sources. But these civilian battery packs are generally not designed for military needs.

Instead, the military needs specialized charging stations with proprietary connectors that allow soldiers to charge not only phones and computers, but also drone batteries or electronic warfare equipment without additional workarounds.

Such specific batteries are produced by New Use Energy Solutions, a company based in the U.S. with production facilities in Ukraine. Their products can operate in harsh weather conditions, and they are protected against water and shock. The station itself also has a reinforced casing. Demand for charging stations in the Ukrainian army is enormous, Paul Shmotolokha, CEO of New Use Energy Solutions, told Counteroffensive.Pro.

“Shrapnel or bullets degrade the functionality, but don’t necessarily kill it [the power station]. It all depends on whether it's a small, critical circuit or not. No glass. No aluminum frame. No reflective materials. Lower heat signature, but it does give off heat, which is a critical concern for some commanders,” Shmotolokha said.

The demand for chargers is only increasing. 

“It started with drone batteries and the drone ecosystem, like monitors, tablets, etc, then FPV drones added retransmission or boost antennas and goggles. Nowadays, [demand] is huge in electronic warfare, running drone detection and jamming equipment. Lots and lots of communications. Especially [chargers for] Starlinks, lots of medical equipment,” said Shmotolokha.

BUSINESS LUNCH TOPICS: What our reporting shows!

1. Ukraine’s MPs prepared a new draft law allowing public-private partnerships in defense

On May 5, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development recommended adopting draft law №7508, which creates opportunities to attract private capital to develop the defense sector and rebuild the country through public-private partnerships (PPPs). The draft law is awaiting consideration by the Verkhovna Rada.

“This draft law is a breakthrough for the defense sector, as there was previously a direct ban on PPPs in the defense sector,” Halyna Yanchenko, MP, head of the Temporary Special Commission on Protecting Investor Rights and initiator of the draft law, told Counteroffensive.Pro. 

The detailed process of such cooperation must be spelled out in a Cabinet of Ministers resolution, which will be prepared after the draft law's final adoption. New details may also be added, such as opening investment only for partner countries, Yanchenko explained. 

“Ukraine has innovative developments and unused capacities – with the defense industry's capacities of $35 billion, Ukraine can buy up to ten [billion] at most. The EU is rearming, so they are interested in Ukrainian capacities – it is an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and boost the Ukrainian economy,” Yanchenko added.

This draft law brings Ukrainian legislation in line with the European Concession Directive 2014/23/EU. It also sets out the EU rules for procurement by public sector contracting authorities and contracting entities in the utilities sector using a concession. 

2. Three ways the export control issue may soon be resolved

Ukrainian ministries and the State Service for Export Control (SSEC) are working on ways for export control to allow exporting abroad, Oleh Tsilvik, the acting head of SSEC, told Counteroffensive.Pro.

According to him, Ukraine is looking for the best option to allow exports abroad. There are three possible ways to do so:

• The German model, in which suppliers must supply the German army first. Excess production (up to 30 percent) can then be sold abroad;

• Lowering the product cost for the Ukrainian military compared to foreign markets. This can be done by adding taxes on exports. Such tax revenues may go towards the special fund for buying new military equipment for the Armed Forces; 

• Part of the goods must be supplied to the Ukrainian military, and part may be exported. The exact proportions have not yet been determined, however. 

“I cannot say that we have a final decision. But the fact is that this topic is alive and actively being worked on from all sides,” Tsilvik said.

The SSEC has developed a list of criteria that companies must meet for weapons export. They were designed with private manufacturer associations, including Tech Force in UA and the National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries. However, they need to be approved by a commission under the National Security Council. This commission has not yet been created. 

Tsilvik listed a few essential criteria:

• The need for the goods in the Armed Forces;

• Preventing the leak of technologies during wartime;

• The possibility of limitations in the technical characteristics of the goods for export, such as range restrictions for deep-strike drones.

One of the risks with weaponry export is the disruption of delivery schedules for the Ukrainian military if foreign contracts become the priority. To prevent this, the manufacturer may be held liable. For example, a company may be deprived of registration with the SSEC, which would lead to problems with international transfers. In addition, the Ministry of Defense would fine companies for any delays, Tsilvik added.

The final decision for the permit depends not only on SSEC. If concerns are based on a political component, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will emphasize that. If some kind of security threat, the Security Service or the Military Intelligence will mark a danger.

“If there are risks, of course, we will refuse to grant the permit,” explained Tsilvik.

3. Improving the tactical level of situational awareness on the front line

Ukrainian startup TacticMap is developing an application for iOS and Android. It allows soldiers to create a multilayered map using the NATO APP6 standard that regulates tactical symbols.

TacticMap developers want to build a situational awareness system at the tactical and lower level, since not all soldiers have access to Kropyva or Delta systems. End-users can share the maps to improve their awareness of the real-time situation in a particular area. 

“The application allows soldiers to measure distances from one point to another, build curved lines, i.e., routes. What are these maps for? To build a route for further movement by car, the mining field or marking destroyed bridges. You can also build polygons to measure the area of a minefield,” said Yaroslav Sherstiuk, CEO and founder of TacticMap.

Each task can be done in a separate tab in the app, easing the work with the map.  Ukrainian soldiers have a lot of different software for maps, Sherstiuk noted, creating headaches when they want to share information with each other. That’s why developers made the export/import of layouts extremely easy

Developers plan to create a local server to save all encrypted data directly at the unit’s base. This is expected to be done by the end of May, when a business model should also be created. For now, the app has up to 50 unique users daily.

Ukrainian orders/legislation we’re tracking: 
By: Oksana Zabolotna

Granting individual enterprises the right to carry out the export and import of military goods : Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated April 29, 2025, No. 503

Stage: Adopted at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and came into force on May 7th. 

Initiator: the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

Link to Defense Tech:

This authorization allows three Ukrainian public and private companies to engage in the defense industry by producing, importing, and exporting advanced military technologies under strict government oversight. 

Why It’s Important:

• It plays a key role in strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities and supporting innovation in the defense sector. Granting individual enterprises the right to export and import creates conditions for the development of Ukrainian manufacturers in the defense sector, promotes export growth, attracts investment, and supports production modernization.

Proposals:

• Through December 1, 2027, the state enterprise Defense Procurement Agency is granted the right to carry out the export and import of military goods listed in categories ML1 to ML22.

• Through June 1, 2029, the state-owned Kharkiv Machine-Building Plant ‘FED’ is granted the right to export domestically produced military goods under the following positions:ground vehicles, manned aircraft, production and test equipment, technology for development, production, operation, and installation. 

• Through July 1, 2029, the drone producer DEVIRО is granted the right to export and import, for its own production needs, domestically produced military goods under the following positions: unmanned aerial vehicles, software, specialized software, technology for development, production, operation, and installation.

People to Know: Owners of  Deviro, Fed and Defense Procurement Agency. The State Export Control Service of Ukraine must issue an export permit.

ON THE MOVE: Professional movement, promotions and industry news.

Know someone in the defense tech space who has made a professional move? Drop us a line at [email protected]! 

• Maksym Plyska started a new job at Snake Island Institute (SII), a non-governmental organization focused on strengthening ties between Ukraine and the U.S. Having previously served in an intelligence unit in the Ukrainian army, Plyska is now a partnerships officer at SII.

• Ihor Snezhyn has joined the State Service for Export Control as a deputy head. Since 2016, he worked at Ukrspecexport, a state-owned Ukrainian arms trading company. 

• Volodymyr Zaverukha has joined the Ministry of Strategic Industries as the first deputy of Minister Herman Smetanin. He previously worked as a deputy director of the Department of Military Technical Policy, Development of Armaments and Military Equipment of the MoD.A message from our sponsor:
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Our media partner Calibrated agency with Tech PR School will be running Defence Tech Comms Bootcamp 2.0 from May 19-23, 2025. This 5-day online training program is specifically designed to equip defence tech startup founders and communications professionals with the skills needed to engage effectively with key industry stakeholders.

Check out the full program and register here: https://product-pr.com/defence-tech-bootcamp 

30 SECOND ELEVATOR PITCH:

The Life Without Mines team has developed a drone-based mine detection system. It consists of an aerial drone with a metal detector, magnetometer, and ground penetrating radar to fly over a given area. It records and displays on a map all the data necessary for sappers concerning the GPS coordinates of detected metal-containing and explosive objects. 

“To date, the carrier drone with the necessary software and a multi-zone metal detector is fully operational, having undergone final testing at a training ground in southern Ukraine. The team will hand it over to sappers for testing in real conditions next month. The first flights/tests with a magnetometer and GPR, as well as an R&D sensor that detects metal, have also begun,” said Oleh Vinogradov, CEO and co-founder of Life Without Mines.

The startup is fundraising $7,000 to continue work on R&D and further testing.

MUST READS:

• Polish company Ekskalibur has demonstrated the sea drone Seawolf, which was designed with Ukrainian Black Sea warfare in mind. It boasts a combat load of up to 450 kg and a range of more than 1,600 km.
  

• Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries unveiled the deepstrike drone FP-1, with a range of 1,600 km and up to a 120 kg warhead. 

• Ukrainian company Nordex has presented the Seawolf, a surface marine drone designed for long-range missions. With a length of 7.5 meters and a fuel capacity of 1,400 liters, Seawolf boasts a range of over 1,600 kilometers and can carry up to 1,650 kg of total payload, including up to 450 kilograms of warhead.
  

• Russians have begun using the new S8000 Banderol cruise missile, launched from drones and incorporating many foreign components (mainly from China, Japan, the United States, and South Korea). Its flight range reaches 500 km, and the total weight of the warhead is 114.3 kg.
  

• Russians began equipping motorcycles that were previously used for the assault with trailers and carts to evacuate the wounded and transport ammunition.

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