Since mid-2025, the Ukrainian military has deployed an AI-powered guidance module called TFL-1 to improve the precision of FPV (first-person-view) quadcopter drones. The system takes over in the final 500 meters of flight, enabling drones to lock onto and destroy moving targets even in terrain where radio communications are blocked.
Developed by the startup The Fourth Law, TFL-1 is cheap (around $50–$100 per unit) and compatible with a variety of drones, making it accessible to frontline units. Reports suggest that about 20 brigades now use it, including elite formations such as military intelligence and the 412th Nemesis Brigade.
Soldiers involved in its deployment recount successful missions in “radio shadow” zones—areas where traditional remote control of drones is difficult or impossible. One drone operator said TFL-1 allowed a strike cluster hidden behind a cliff to be hit reliably, even without a radio link.
Despite its effectiveness, the module still has limitations: it struggles to identify human targets and depends on reasonably good camera quality.
Meanwhile, the article warns that Russia is racing to scale up its own AI-guided systems, potentially producing autonomous terminal guidance for drones at scale. The founder of The Fourth Law has urged Ukraine to accelerate investment in AI systems to avoid being outpaced.
