Frontline

About

In the summer of 2023, the four co-founders of Frontline — Yevhen, Pavlo, Oleksii, and Oleksandr — worked in a defense robotics company. However, they wanted to create products that could be easily scaled, used by every military officer, and eventually quantitatively and qualitatively strengthen shock troops.

“After several rounds of discussions, we decided to work for ourselves and develop EW-resistant control systems for UAVs (FPVs and bombers) that required fewer resources. We rented a tiny office with a horrible state of repair, where it was hot in summer and no heating in winter. We started working on the prototypes while simultaneously looking for ways to raise funds,” says Yevhen Tretyak. 

Today, Frontline is a company specializing in designing and manufacturing robotic systems. Among the company’s products are a bulletproof bomber drone with reconnaissance capabilities, a remote-controlled turret for the MK-19 40mm grenade launcher, and a bulletproof drone control system.

Details

“To put it simply, we are making a tactical reconnaissance drone that will transmit images from point A to point B, and it will not be jammed by electronic warfare. We also want to make an automated turret that will be able to fire a grenade launcher and, in the future, shoot down drones,” says Yevhen Tretyak.

The startup also plans to develop technologically: To prevent the wind from blowing the copter away, the team plans to make a visual fixation of a target for the copter for when the bomb is dropped.

“We are developing the target fix to provide the drone with an autopilot feature. Once it is integrated, the pilot can tell the drone to “stay still” and release control at the right time during the flight. It will make it easier to use the drone for bomb drops, surveillance, or communications,” Tretyak explains.

Fixing a target will also help relay drones keep track of the robot they are receiving signals from — if it moves out of the frame, the drone will follow it. 

In the future, Frontline is aiming to engage people who are not at war. “Sitting in Kyiv, you will be able to fulfill a certain mission at the war,” explains Yevhen Tretyak. 

In the summer of 2024, the company also presented a robotic turret for the MK-19 Buria grenade launcher. 

Buria was designed to meet the military’s needs. It weighs 47 kg and can be deployed manually on a tripod or delivered by a logistics platform. The turret’s advantage is its mobility: its weight and compact dimensions allow it to be transported even by civilian cars. 

“Also, the well-developed software allows the military to conveniently target using a laptop or tablet while staying in a shelter at a distance from the turret. Buria is designed to integrate with current public and private situational awareness systems,” the company says. 

The EW-resistant control module for Hertz drones has two control ranges operating simultaneously. Pseudo-random reconfiguration of the operating system is available throughout the entire range of operation, and the transmitter can be placed at a distance of up to 100 meters. 

Another startup development is the EW-resistant multi-tasking bomber Linza, which is equipped with encrypted video communication and fast video transmission channel changes and can operate up to 100 meters from the antenna station without losing communication quality. 

The company is currently undergoing state codification to receive government orders. This will allow the company to increase production volumes, eventually launch exports, and open production lines abroad.  

However, the primary goal is to meet the needs of Ukraine. “Mass production will allow us to supply the Ukrainian military with robots and take as many infantrymen out of the trenches as possible. That is why we want to modernize the system.”