Helsing AI boosts Ukraine's power with 6,000 new drones
The company Helsing AI has announced an order for the production of 6,000 HX-2 drones for Ukraine. This follows an earlier order for 4,000 HF-1 drones, which are currently being delivered to Ukraine. Here’s what distinguishes the Helsing HX-2 strike drones.
Founded in Berlin in 2021, the company Helsing AI focuses on implementing AI in military equipment and optimizing production. In addition to several types of drones, the company is also working on electronic warfare systems for Eurofighter aircraft and experimenting with so-called AI pilots that could potentially replace or supplement human pilots in the future.
The company also announced the completion of its first distributed factory in southern Germany, capable of producing 1,000 HX-2 drones per month. This level of productivity, if purchasing continues in support of Ukraine, will pose significant challenges for the Russians. A small group of soldiers could coordinate swarms of strike drones capable of attacking targets at a distance of 100 kilometres.
HX-2 drones - mass-produced drone with artificial intelligence
The Helsing HX-2 drones are 12-kilogram constructions utilizing an X-shaped wing design similar to the Russian Lancet-3 drones. The German drone is designed to engage targets up to 100 kilometres away with a maximum flight speed of 220 kilometres per hour, supported by four propellers powered by electric motors.
The offered capabilities for destroying targets depend on the type of warhead, which can be anti-armour, multi-purpose (most likely fragmentation), or anti-concrete. However, these payloads will not be large, considering the drone’s total weight is around 12 kilograms.
Artificial intelligence in warfare — the future of drones
However, what defines the drone’s strength is not the structure itself but the software and the use of artificial intelligence algorithms, which according to the manufacturer, ensure immunity to electronic warfare activities. Ukrainians are already testing solutions on FPV drones using Skynode-S modules or modified Google Coral development boards, but such homemade solutions cannot compare to factory-manufactured equipment designed from the ground up.
Helsing AI claims that the drone can independently search for specified objects, identify them, and attack even when there are issues with controller contact or data transmission interruptions. However, the company adds that human oversight is involved during critical decisions.
Additionally, one trained individual, using Helsing's Altra recce-strike software, can manage a swarm of multiple HX-2 drones enabling the attack on multiple targets simultaneously or conducting combined drone attacks with different warheads.
