AI drone Virtus: the decision remains in human hands

The German defence and defence tech start-up Stark Defence specialises in unmanned military systems and mainly develops AI-supported kamikaze drones such as the AI drone Virtus. In an interview, Martin Rudolph, Director Business Development at Stark, explains how a new generation of defence tech start-ups can strengthen Europe's technological capacity to act and what role artificial intelligence will play on the battlefield of the future.

At the centre of Stark's stand at DroneVation & Defence 2026 was the loitering munition Virtus, an AI-supported kamikaze drone. Can you briefly explain which technological features distinguish such a system from conventional drones? In which areas is artificial intelligence specifically used?
Virtus is not a conventional unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), but a purpose-built one-way effector with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability. This means that neither a catapult, a launch tube nor prepared infrastructure is required. The system can be deployed practically anywhere and is therefore considerably more flexible than many conventional solutions. A single operator can make Virtus ready for use in less than ten minutes.

Artificial intelligence is used above all where modern battlefields are particularly demanding: for navigation in environments where the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is jammed, especially during the final terminal guidance phase, for taking countermeasures in the context of electronic warfare, and for reducing the operator's workload by processing large volumes of data. The decisive point is that AI supports humans but does not replace them. Target selection, target confirmation and the use of weapon effects are always carried out by a human. For us, this is not only an ethical question but an integral part of the system design.

Stark supplies combat drones to Ukraine and uses feedback directly from the front to further develop its systems. How are your drones performing in Ukraine and what experience is currently feeding into product optimisation?
Ukraine is today the most demanding environment for unmanned systems worldwide. Nowhere else are technologies tested every day under comparably intense conditions, particularly in the field of electronic warfare. For us, close exchange with the users on the ground is therefore of enormous value.

What we learn from Ukraine flows directly into our development cycles, from software and navigation to the usability and resilience of the systems. This continuous feedback process is a central part of our innovation and development approach. As a matter of principle, we do not comment on specific operational data or performance figures. What matters is that our systems are developed together with the users and therefore remain operationally relevant.

How important are partnerships, for example with TDW or Inleap Photonics, for the rapid further development of your systems?
Partnerships are essential for us. The security policy challenges facing Europe cannot be met by a single company alone. That is why we deliberately rely on cooperation with specialised partners.

The cooperation with TDW is a good example of this. Together we are developing warhead systems for Virtus and at the same time creating the conditions for scalable production. Such partnerships combine the innovation speed of young technology companies with the industrial experience of established players. This helps us bring technologies to operational maturity faster and make them available in relevant quantities.

The Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) is set to procure Virtus drones. How do you see Stark's role as a player in the German and European market, particularly compared with other defence start-ups?
We see ourselves as part of a new generation of European defence companies. Modern conflicts are evolving at a speed that increasingly challenges traditional development and procurement cycles. Our approach is to develop software, AI and hardware together from the outset and to bring new capabilities into practice very quickly.

We do not see ourselves as an alternative model to established companies. Europe needs both innovative start-ups and strong industrial partners. Our contribution lies in getting new technologies into the hands of users faster and strengthening Europe's technological capacity to act. Ultimately, it is not about start-up versus corporation, but about jointly providing the capabilities that Europe and NATO need today.

Stark Defence stand at DroneVation & Defence 2026

Artificial intelligence plays a central role in modern loitering munition systems. What developments do you expect in the coming years in the field of AI-controlled unmanned systems?
AI will play an increasingly important role in the coming years. It helps to evaluate large volumes of data, prioritise targets, take over navigation tasks and keep systems capable of acting even under difficult conditions. At the same time, we will see closer cooperation between several unmanned systems, for example in coordinated swarm operations.

At least as important, however, will be the ability to update these systems continuously via software. Threats today change in very short cycles. Anyone who does not continuously develop their systems quickly loses relevance. What will not change, in our view, is the role of the human. The decision on the use of weapon effects must remain with the human. For us, that is a fundamental principle.

“What will not change, in our view, is the role of the human. The decision on the use of weapon effects must remain with the human. For us, that is a fundamental principle.”

Martin Rudolph, Director Business Development

Will quality or quantity matter more in future?
The experience from Ukraine shows very clearly that the answer is both. Highly developed systems alone are not enough if they are only available in very small numbers and come with high unit prices. Conversely, sheer mass achieves little if the systems are not up to the demands of modern battlefields.

The real challenge is to develop technologically advanced systems in such a way that they are at the same time scalable, affordable and quick to produce. Credible deterrence today does not arise only from individual top-end capabilities, but from the ability to provide modern systems in relevant numbers and to replace them quickly when needed. That is exactly where our focus lies.