Ukraine unveils new interceptor drone capable of speeds over 320 km/h
Ukrainian defence company The Fourth Law (TFL) has unveiled the Zerov-8, an autonomous interceptor drone equipped with an AI-powered automatic target detection system.
Source: press service for The Fourth Law
Details: The new interceptor was developed using a tailsitter design which allows the UAV to take off and land vertically. The company says the Zerov-8 has a maximum speed of 326 km/h and an interception speed of up to 270 km/h. The drone can operate within a radius of up to 20 km. The interceptor carries a warhead weighing up to half a kilogram and is equipped with either a daytime or thermal camera.
A key feature of the new interceptor, the company says, is TFL's Anti-Shahed detection module, based on artificial intelligence.
Quote: "The system autonomously detects a drone by analysing the object's movement, its thermal signature and other parameters using AI. After detection, the system 'highlights' the target and continues stable tracking while operating in parallel without interfering with the flight. The operator chooses the direction of interception independently. The module is installed on board together with a thermal camera (typically a Kurbas-640 Beta), a flight controller or a video transmitter."
Details: The detection system on the Zerov-8 can detect targets up to 1 km away in ideal contrast conditions, while in difficult weather conditions it can identify an enemy drone at distances of up to 300 metres. The development is currently undergoing the final tests in a full cycle of autonomous interception, the company said.
There are plans for the drone to be integrated with external radars to automatically guide the Zerov-8 onto an interception trajectory and minimise the human factor. In particular, the UAV will receive coordinates from Skyguard systems or ground control stations. The developers also plan to add safeguards against loss of communication and a function ensuring guaranteed target capture within a 500-metre radius.
The Fourth Law explained that the interceptor was named after Mykola Zerov, a Ukrainian poet and translator who belonged to the generation known as the Executed Renaissance. Zerov was arrested by the Soviet authorities and shot in the Sandarmokh Forest on 3 November 1937. In doing so, the company is continuing its line of products named after Ukrainian cultural figures who were persecuted in the USSR.
Background: Earlier, the Ukrainian company Odd Systems presented an updated line of the Kurbas cameras that will be used on Zerov-8 interceptors. In addition, Yaroslav Azhniuk, founder of The Fourth Law, has announced that several of the manufacturer's products were codified in September last year.
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