TARASENKO O.V. ANALYTICAL ASSESSMENT OF TRENDS AND FEATURES OF THE EVOLUTION OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES IN THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR

DOI: 10.31673/2409-7292.2025.041219

Abstract

The article studies the trends and features of the evolution of the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the RussianUkrainian war of 2022–2025. It is determined that with the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the role of drones on the
battlefield has grown from auxiliary to strategic: from the use of commercial quadcopters for reconnaissance and fire adjustment
to the deployment of FPV kamikazes, mass swarms, and autonomous systems with elements of artificial intelligence; that the
key feature of development has been the cyclical dynamics of “new tasks - countermeasures - adaptation,” which accelerated
throughout the war. Countermeasures from the enemy included electronic warfare systems, air defense, physical barriers, and
experimental lasers, which stimulated Ukrainian manufacturers to implement inertial navigation, protected communication
channels, and artificial intelligence algorithms. The work uses quantitative indicators – the efficiency index and the adaptation
index, which reflect the increase in the effectiveness of UAV use and the technological flexibility of manufacturers. For practical
visualization, the article contains summary tables and graphs demonstrating the growth of drone production, the growing role
of FPV drones, as well as increasing mission efficiency. The conclusions of the study indicate that Ukraine in 2022–2025 has
become a global testing ground for drone technologies, and its experience will significantly influence the formation of future
military doctrines. A forecast is formulated for further directions in the development of UAV use – autonomous swarms,
integration with land and sea robotic platforms, the development of anti-drone systems and the creation of specialized unmanned
systems units in the armed forces.
Keywords: UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles), air defense (air defense), drones, electronic warfare (EW), FPV kamikaze,
artificial intelligence, information technologies.

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