Ukraine Gets New AI Kamikaze Drones from Czech Volunteers

Eventually, they will hunt tanks on their own

In the latest chapter of “The battlefield gets smarter, deadlier, and more terrifying,” Ukraine just received a fresh batch of FPV drones that think faster than humans.

Say hi to the ARCZ08X, a new AI-equipped quadcopter delivered by Czech volunteer group Aerorozvědka. These are battlefield problem-solvers, designed to punch through Russia’s dense electronic warfare soup and still find their target, whether that’s a tank, an IFV, or a logistics truck trying to sneak fuel to the front.

Reported by Militarnyi and confirmed by Czech defense outlet Armadni Noviny, the ARCZ08X is the first Aerorozvědka platform equipped with what they’re calling a “Last Mile Target” (LMT) system.

Sounds clinical. What does it mean in practice? Even if the drone loses contact with its operator, a common occurrence, the little quadcopter keeps going. It finishes the job autonomously, using onboard AI to guide itself into the final approach like a flying Terminator with a grudge.

Last Mile, First Kill

There’s been a version of this in the US arsenal for a few years now, albeit not “fully” AI. Just an image-recognition system and an onboard computer. This is called “computer vision.” But the magic happens when you combine computer vision with autonomy (that’s where the AI comes in), and edge computing (thinking on the drone, not connected to a cloud server). Throw in swarming just for laughs, and you’ve just built the future of warfare.

Forget relying on shaky comms; Last Mile Targeting is the bridge that we’re crossing right now on our way to fully autonomous weapons. These ARCZ08X drones are now equipped with an AI-guided system that takes over during the drone’s final sprint toward its mark.

Once human operators lock the target, be it a tank, IFV, or logistical vehicle, the drone’s onboard AI takes the wheel. It processes real-time video data through miniature computers, adjusts flight trajectory, compensates for wind and movement, and aims the payload on its own.

All of this happens without splashing signal noise across the spectrum.

And it’s an order of magnitude smarter than similar legacy NATO systems like the IRIS-T, for example.

Built-in autonomy means a SIGINT-saturated zone won't short-circuit the drone. Even when Russian jammers scramble comms, these drones push forward, flying such that the explosive payload lands exactly where intended. Last Mile = mission-complete independence.

Despite the buzz, the feature is still maturing. The LMT mode is the only fully operational mode deployed thus far. Semi-auto and full-AI modes are still in testing phases. That means drones are flying accurate final runs, but human pilots are still picking the target before AI takes over.

Testing on the battlefield shows real promise, but battlefield chaos is a tough tutor. Adversarial camouflage, dust, and shifting smoke; all can theoretically confuse the AI. Plus, the onboard computers are small and underpowered, for now, at least relative to the tasks they’re tasked with.

Jan Grohmann from Armadni Noviny points out that training the AI for fluid war conditions and miniaturizing its processes remains an active challenge.

What Makes LMT Tick

Miniaturized Edge AI