Ukrainian automated turret Sky Sentinel intercepts first Russian drones and heads to mass production

The fully automated Ukrainian turret Sky Sentinel, operated by artificial intelligence algorithms, has already intercepted its first Russian drones and is now moving towards mass production, according to United24 Media.

The autonomous combat module is designed to counter Russian drone attacks and operates without human intervention. Once deployed and supplied with radar data, Sky Sentinel autonomously detects and tracks targets, calculates trajectories, and opens fire. The turret can engage fast-moving targets flying at speeds of 200, 400, or even 800 km/h.

The system features 360° coverage, is armed with a heavy machine gun, and uses conventional rounds rather than guided munitions. Target engagement relies on high-precision ballistic calculations in real time. All software has been developed by Ukrainian engineers.

One of the most challenging engineering tasks was eliminating even the slightest mechanical backlash, which could cause a miss. The system must not only rotate and adjust the barrel angle, but also absorb the recoil of sustained firing. Prototypes have already been tested both at firing ranges and in combat — one has successfully destroyed four Shahed-136 drones on the frontline.

Each turret costs around $150,000. Between 10 and 30 units are required to effectively defend a single city. For security reasons, the turret’s effective range has not been disclosed. The development team is currently focused on scaling up production — aiming to manufacture dozens of units each month.

Recently, the Ukrainian defence tech company Fulltime Robotics has also introduced the Slimbeam laser turret, capable of disabling small drones at distances of up to 800 metres, and blinding the optical systems of enemy drones at distances of up to 2 kilometres.