UK representatives see latest version of Ukraine’s Octopus interceptor drone, Defense Ministry says. PHOTO

Drone Industry

In Kyiv, the latest version of the Ukrainian Octopus interceptor drone was demonstrated to a UK delegation led by UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense reported this, Censor.NET says.

As noted, during the event, the Ukrainian side stressed the high need for interceptors to protect Ukraine’s skies.

What is known about Octopus

The Octopus drone was developed in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and is equipped with an artificial intelligence-based control system. It is designed to counter Shahed-type UAVs, and its effectiveness has been confirmed in combat.

Cooperation between manufacturers and the military makes it possible to continuously improve this technology and creates a highly effective R&D ecosystem. Drone production is being rolled out in Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

Defense Ministry intellectual property reform

It is reported that the transfer of technology for the production of Octopus at British enterprises was made possible by the reform in the field of intellectual property at the Ministry of Defence.

In particular, a dedicated Intellectual Property Office was established at the ministry in May 2025. The office’s experts ensured compliance with legal aspects when concluding a licensing agreement with the UK government, including:

legal protection of technology in Ukraine;
filing an application to register the invention under the international procedure;
supporting the licensing agreement with the UK Ministry of Defence.

In November 2025, delegations from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and the UK Ministry of Defence signed a licensing agreement for the Octopus interceptor drone, paving the way for its production in the United Kingdom. Output could reach several thousand drones per month. The manufactured systems will be transferred to Ukraine to strengthen air defense.

It is emphasized that this is the first time Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has concluded such an agreement regarding technologies owned by the state. This precedent opens new opportunities for Ukraine for bilateral exchange of defense technologies with partner countries.

More about the Octopus interceptor drone

Octopus is a drone based on Ukrainian technology developed in cooperation with the United Kingdom. These are interceptor drones that destroy Russian Shaheds with high effectiveness — 70% or more.