Ukrainian UGV undergoes trials in Estonian exercise

The Sirko-S1 modular UGV developed by Ukrainian company SkyLab is designed to support resupply, medevac, reconnaissance, and mining operations. Its dimensions are 1100×800×500 mm with a maximum speed of up to 7.5 m/s. (Mykhailo Fedorov/Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine)

A Ukrainian-made unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), Sirko-S1, is undergoing trials in Estonia during Exercise ‘Spring Storm', held between 6 and 17 May.

The trials will focus on testing the vehicle's minelaying capabilities in collaboration with ASAX Innovation, the Estonian company said on 11 May.

Sirko-S1 is a 4×4 multi-purpose UGV with a 3 hour battery life, 160 mm ground clearance, and 200 kg payload capacity, making it suitable for various tasks. These include transporting cargo, evacuating wounded soldiers, conducting reconnaissance missions, and supporting minelaying and demining operations.

The vehicle, backed by Ukraine's Brave1 defence innovation cluster, has a 3 km operational range that can be extended out to 10 km with a repeater, SkyLab detailed. It is also equipped with a day/night 360° camera.

Along with this, the company is exploring the possibility of adding a “combat turret” to the vehicle, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov previously noted.

Ukraine has been rapidly investing, developing, and attempting to operationalise UGVs. Brave1 is a key player in this initiative, having funded over 135 innovative technologies since its inception in April 2023, primarily focusing on ground robots.

Building on this, United24 – a Ukrainian government entity that raises funding to support Ukraine – announced in March 2024 that it is procuring hundreds of UGVs for deployment within the army. While details about the specific platforms were not disclosed, the announcement acknowledged the extensive contributions and advancements made by Brave1 innovators in the field of UGVs.