Ukrainian drones may be moving toward a major shift: flight and targeting without a human pilot. According to Robert Brovdi, founder and commander of the special drone unit "Madyar Birds," that level of autonomy could arrive in as little as six months.
The claim points to a larger change already under way. Ukraine is testing AI systems for drones while also trying to scale production, secure funding, and expand its wider robotics and electronic warfare capabilities.
What Brovdi says autonomous drones could do
In a recent interview, Brovdi described ongoing development and testing of hundreds of AI systems. The goal is not only to make drones fly on their own, but to let them make key operational decisions without direct pilot control.
According to Brovdi, these systems would allow drones to decide independently where to fly and how to hit targets. They would also need to distinguish between friend and foe, a capability that would be central to any move away from direct human piloting.
That is the critical distinction in the current discussion around Ukrainian drones. Assisted navigation or partial automation is one thing. Completely autonomous flight without human pilots would shift more of the mission from the operator to the onboard system.
Brovdi's timeline is short: as little as six months. The source does not say that this transition is guaranteed, only that he believes Ukrainian drones could reach that point within that window.
AI control is already part of the drone race
Reports of AI-controlled drone attacks in Ukraine have been circulating for several months. The source also points to companies such as Auterion, which are developing chips that autonomously guide kamikaze drones to their targets.
In that model, the soldier's role changes. Soldiers would only need to launch the drones, and the AI would take over from there.
This matters because it changes how drone operations are organized. Human operators remain involved at the launch stage, but the system is designed to carry out the flight and target approach on its own after launch.
The technical challenge described in the source is broad. A drone would need to navigate, select a path, engage a target, and avoid confusing friendly forces with hostile ones. Each of those tasks becomes more consequential when the drone is no longer being steered directly by a human pilot.
Ukraine is planning beyond individual systems
The autonomy push is happening alongside a wider Ukrainian effort to expand drone, robotics, and electronic warfare capabilities. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov recently presented a comprehensive three-year plan for Ukrainian arms production.
That plan includes the required number of units and the necessary financial resources. The source does not list the full production targets, but it makes clear that Ukraine is treating drones and related systems as part of a broader arms-production strategy.
Several countries have already agreed to finance Ukraine's drones and missiles. That outside support is important because production capacity alone is not the same as funded production.
According to Hanna Hvozdiar, deputy minister of strategic industries, Ukraine has the capacity to produce more than three million drones a year. But she also said Ukraine needs funding from foreign partners to reach that goal.
That creates a clear gap between capability and output. Ukraine may have the industrial capacity to build drones at very large scale, but the source says foreign funding remains necessary to reach that level.
Why other militaries are watching drones closely
The United States is also heavily investing in drone technology. The US Army recently signed a nearly $1 billion contract with AeroVironment for delivery of Switchblade series kamikaze drones over the next five years.
The stated aim is to increase the firepower of infantry units, particularly in view of potential conflicts with China in the Pacific. The source also says the effectiveness of such drones has already been proven in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
That context helps explain why autonomous Ukrainian drones are drawing attention beyond Ukraine itself. The same broad category of systems is being funded, tested, and expanded by major militaries, with Ukraine's experience serving as a practical reference point.
The source does not claim that all drones will become autonomous, or that human operators will disappear from drone warfare. What it does show is a fast-moving push toward systems that require less direct piloting and can carry more of the mission decision-making onboard.
The main takeaway
Brovdi's statement puts a concrete timeline on a development that has already been visible for months: AI is becoming more central to drone operations in Ukraine. If Ukrainian drones can fly completely autonomously within six months, the operator's role could move further toward launch and oversight while software handles more of the mission.
At the same time, the broader picture is not only technical. Ukraine is pursuing a three-year arms-production plan, seeking foreign financing, and working to scale drone output. Autonomous flight may be the headline, but funding, manufacturing, and deployment capacity will shape how far the technology can spread.