Germany and US jointly develop software to integrate Ukrainian drones – FT
Germany and the United States are developing universal software to control Ukrainian drones.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by the Financial Times.
The German defense concern Rheinmetall has begun cooperation with the American company Auterion to develop joint operational standards for the control of autonomous drones.
"In the context of the general transition from manned to unmanned systems, it is extremely important that autonomous systems can interact with each other," said Auterion CEO Lorenz Meier.
Ukrainian context
Ukrainian drones already use Auterion software. The new operating system will allow all drones to be united on a common platform, ensuring their compatibility regardless of manufacturer.
According to Timo Haas, Rheinmetall's Chief Digital Officer, there are more than 200 different unmanned aerial systems in operation in Ukraine, and their training requires significant time and money. The development of a universal operating system will help solve these problems.
Implications for NATO
Auterion is already working on an open-source standard for autonomous systems as part of a U.S. Department of Defense initiative. The company's CEO emphasized:
"If each NATO country had its own communication standard for drones, NATO would not be able to fight together," Meier emphasized.
Rheinmetall's activities in Ukraine
Rheinmetall is actively expanding its presence in Ukraine:
- In October, it opened the first of four plants;
Through a partnership with satellite operator ICEYE, Ukraine receives new SAR satellite imagery.
Earlier, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia would consider the construction of weapons manufacturing plants by the German defense concern Rheinmetall in Ukraine a "legitimate military goal."
