US company Auterion has developed AI-powered guidance hardware and software that lets Ukraine's cheap Shrike kamikaze drones autonomously track and strike moving targets without human control or GPS, even if their radio link is jammed or blocked. This matters because it brings advanced autonomous targeting, previously reserved for expensive precision munitions, to low-cost frontline drones, potentially making Ukraine's already effective drone campaign against Russian forces significantly more resilient to electronic warfare.

The Ukrainian military began receiving Shrike drones fitted with Auterion's Skynode S strike kits, built by Ukrainian firm SkyFall, in mid-July, with 50,000 units due for delivery in the coming months, funded by a $100 million contract. Operators fly the drone manually, designate a target up to half a mile away, then switch to autonomous "fire-and-forget" mode; the system uses only the onboard camera, avoiding reliance on GPS. Each upgraded drone costs around $2,000, against $400 for basic manual versions, running on an $18 Arm chip, and Shrike drones have already been credited with destroying tanks, artillery and even two Russian Mi-28 helicopters worth up to $19 million each.