U.S. company Auterion has launched the Skynode S chip, capable of autonomously guiding Kamikaze drones to targets in Ukraine. Auterion is a drone operating system provider that has introduced the Skynode S, a new computer and flight control system for military drones. This cost-effective technology can be integrated into various civilian and military vehicles and has proven its effectiveness in combat operations in Ukraine.
Image Source Note: Image generated by AI, provided by Midjourney
Specifically, the Skynode S is a chip that can be built into drones to control them. The chip runs Auterion's software, which includes computer vision capabilities among many other features. This technology is particularly suitable for Kamikaze drones, as they can still locate towards targets even if operators lose control due to interference.
Auterion's Skynode S Successfully Circumvents Electronic Countermeasures
According to Dr. Lorenz Meier, CEO of Auterion, in the initial deployment in Ukraine, drones controlled by AI achieved a hit rate of 100%, while manually controlled drones lost connection with human pilots due to electronic defense measures, resulting in a hit rate of only 20% to 40%.
Meier believes that these numbers are unlikely to remain so high, but they may continue to be significantly higher than those of non-autonomous drones.
Due to AI capabilities, drones can not only continue to fly and attack previously marked targets like tanks after interference, but can also visually identify targets, such as specific machine components in oil refineries, and then attack them selectively.
This targeting has been tested on larger Ukrainian drones similar to Russia's Lancet and Iran's Shahed, as reported by Forbes. "The test proved that it can accurately strike targets," says Meier. "The system will be deployed on the front lines within the next few weeks."
The Skynode S system is based on open-source software, making it easier for developers to create new applications. Its price is in the mid three-digit dollars, and in Ukraine, Auterion offers the system at a special "Ukraine Aid" price. According to Meier, the system can also be used for air combat to autonomously intercept and destroy drones.
Meier emphasizes that the Skynode S is not designed to create fully autonomous lethal machines. He compares its level of automation to that of similar U.S. Javelin guided missiles, where human operators specify the target before the weapon autonomously locks onto it. In military terminology, this is known as "fire and forget" weaponry.
Key Points:
🎯 Auterion launches the Skynode S chip to autonomously guide drones in combat operations.
🎯 The Skynode S system successfully circumvents electronic countermeasures and achieves a high hit rate.
🎯 This technology is based on open-source software, cost-effective, and may be used in more fields in the future, but is not intended to create fully autonomous lethal machines.