The Voice News: In a significant leap forward in modern warfare, Ukrainian startup Strategy Force Solutions (StratForce) has successfully executed the first fully autonomous long-range drone strike missions, marking a turning point in drone warfare innovation.
According to StratForce’s Chief Technology Officer, Andrii (surname withheld), the new drone deployment strategy delivers high-impact results at a fraction of the cost of conventional weapon systems.
“A $10,000 drone operation is now achieving what used to require missile systems costing $3 to $5 million,” said Andrii.
Revolutionizing Warfare: The GOGOL-M Mothership System
At the core of StratForce’s breakthrough is the GOGOL-M, an AI-powered drone “mothership” capable of transporting and deploying two FPV-type attack drones to hit precision targets as far as 300 kilometers away. This system capitalizes on the affordability, agility, and stealth of small drones, enabling effective strikes on vulnerable military assets like stationary aircraft, air defense systems, and critical infrastructure.
Although StratForce has not released imagery of the strikes for verification, the concept builds on Ukraine’s ongoing advancements in drone mothership technologies and AI-enabled FPV drones. Experts see it as a real-world counterpart to the autonomous long-range attack systems currently under development by the U.S. Pentagon and similar mothership-drone swarms recently unveiled by China.
“By pairing FPV drones with AI motherships, we can ensure precise, intelligent strikes,” Andrii stated.
A Childhood Insight Becomes Military Innovation
The inspiration behind StratForce’s technology dates back to Andrii’s childhood. While traveling by car near a railway, he noticed a solitary railway worker walking the tracks — a tedious job involving inspection for possible faults. His father explained the woman was ensuring the tracks were safe for trains. Even as a child, Andrii thought: “Why isn’t a robot doing this?”
Years later, that idea matured into a civilian drone project for infrastructure inspection, where AI drones autonomously monitored pipelines and power lines, identifying damage and reporting precise GPS coordinates for maintenance teams. That civilian focus shifted dramatically following Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
SmartPilot: The Brain Behind Autonomous Flight
StratForce’s technological edge lies in its proprietary SmartPilot system, an advanced autopilot platform integrating AI with a suite of high-performance sensors. Originally designed for industrial drone inspection, SmartPilot offers a level of environmental awareness and decision-making previously unseen in battlefield drones.
“It’s like the brain of a self-driving car,” said Andrii. “Only this brain flies.”
While most combat drones rely on basic cameras and remote operation, SmartPilot uses a multi-sensor fusion system, incorporating:
LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) – for real-time 3D mapping in any lighting or weather
High-definition cameras
Advanced AI algorithms – enabling real-time navigation, obstacle avoidance, and target recognition
This integrated system allows the drone to autonomously chart its route, navigate hostile terrain, and engage targets — all without GPS or constant operator input.
“SmartPilot can perform missions entirely on its own, flying to a designated area and identifying and attacking targets without human intervention,” Andrii said.
The Future of Autonomous Warfare
StratForce’s drone mothership strategy is already reshaping battlefield dynamics. The use of low-cost, intelligent drones to replace high-value missiles marks a shift towards more asymmetric and scalable warfare tactics. This approach could give Ukraine, and other nations, a cost-effective edge against larger military forces.
While the implications are profound, they also raise critical questions about the ethical and strategic oversight of autonomous weapons. Nevertheless, StratForce’s innovation marks a clear signpost toward the future of warfare — one where AI and automation increasingly determine outcomes.