10 Reasons Why Robotization is Changing the Course of War: Insights from the CEO of DevDroid
Modern warfare is evolving faster than armies can adapt their doctrines, with the effectiveness of military units increasingly reliant on technology rather than sheer numbers. The pace of technological transformation will dictate the nature of combat operations in the coming years.
In 2023, a pivotal factor on the battlefield has been the widespread use of unmanned systems. The airspace has transformed into an environment of constant surveillance, where any movement is promptly detected and can be targeted from significant distances. This has severely restricted the ability of personnel to safely operate on the front lines, as risks escalate with each new technological advancement.
The next logical step has been the transformation of ground operations. Tasks previously performed by humans, such as transporting ammunition, evacuating personnel, conducting reconnaissance, or holding positions, now occur under conditions of continuous fire control. In these circumstances, ground robotic complexes are transitioning from experimental solutions to essential tools for military units.
What was once considered an auxiliary technology is now beginning to take on functions traditionally assigned to infantry. For ground robotic complexes, the moment for scaling has effectively arrived. They are gradually assuming the most hazardous stages of operations, forming a new model of force application where robots operate within the strike zone while humans maintain control from outside it.
Our goal is to work alongside our combat units to liberate at least 10 kilometers into occupied territory using exclusively a combination of robotic systems—airborne systems, ground platforms, FPV cover, and remote combat modules. If we can penetrate, establish, and hold positions in one area without infantry, this solution could be scaled across the entire front.
Classical military science states that a multiple superiority of forces is necessary for an offensive. Today, this ratio can reach 1 to 10 or even 1 to 20. We cannot deploy that many soldiers, but we can deploy 30 to 50 drones against their 10 fighters. Where an offensive previously required hundreds of people, today it can be conducted with dozens of robotic systems—logistical, reconnaissance, and strike units. It is merely a matter of production, integration, and tactics.
We must flood the front with technology. Just as the Russians send their people to the front lines as 'cannon fodder,' we should send robots to be 'scrap metal.' We can storm with them, lose them, but exchange money and metal for enemy personnel while preserving our own people. Today, Ukraine is accumulating unique practical experience in the systemic application of robotic systems in combat conditions.
Many foreign manufacturers are investing significant resources into creating advanced prototypes, but these solutions often do not undergo comprehensive testing in modern battlefield conditions. In Ukraine, however, technologies are developing in an environment of constant feedback—with rapid refinements, adaptations, and reapplications without lengthy implementation cycles.
Recent global conflicts have shown that a significant portion of the world's armies remains unprepared for high-tech warfare, where the speed of adaptation is more crucial than a formal advantage in resources. This is why the practical experience gained in Ukraine in employing robotic systems could serve as a foundation for rethinking approaches to military training and equipment in many countries.
Ukraine has inadvertently become an environment where the practice of future warfare is being shaped, and at the same time, a source of knowledge on how technologies can reduce risks for people in real combat conditions. The question is no longer whether robots will be present on the battlefield. The question is who will be the first to learn how to systematically and massively execute combat tasks without the need to send humans into the most dangerous zones.