Dutch company Intelic has tested an air-defence system that uses artificial intelligence to detect aerial targets and coordinate the work of an interceptor drone. Reuters reports.
The test took place in late September. A drone intercepted a simulated enemy target that was first detected by radar and then confirmed by artificial intelligence. Intelic’s AI-based Nexus software used data from several radars, sensors and cameras supplied by other companies to determine that the detected object was an enemy target. A reconnaissance drone then used image-recognition technology to confirm that the target was an enemy drone.
The final decision to launch the AI-controlled interceptor drone during the test was made by a human. However, the process itself can be fully autonomous, said Intelic’s chief executive and founder, Maurits Korthals Altes.
During the tests, engineers worked from a mobile command post and monitored interface screens that brought together radar target detection, AI confirmation and the operation of interceptor drones. Each component of the system could be selected and controlled separately from a single control panel.
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According to Korthals Altes, artificial intelligence can also be used for rapid decision-making. For example, the system can help a soldier on the battlefield decide whether to open fire on a jet-powered drone, when there are sometimes only a few seconds to make the call. At high target speeds, Korthals Altes noted, it is not so easy to hit manually, so a more autonomous system is needed.
Intelic’s command-and-control system is already being deployed by Ukraine on the battlefield. Intelic’s software complements Ukraine’s Delta system.
“Right now in Ukraine, human communication can take several minutes between the moment a drone is detected and the moment forces try to shoot it down. Autonomous systems reduce that time, which could potentially make the difference between life and death,” said Intelic senior software engineer Anika Kempter.
Intelic is based in Amsterdam. The company also has an office in Kyiv and helps Ukrainian forces counter Russian drone and missile strikes.
In May 2026, Intelic signed an agreement with Ukraine’s TAF Industries. The companies plan to develop technologies together and share expertise in the drone sector. In particular, they intend to integrate Intelic’s software with TAF drones. The main goal is to make drones—especially the “Babka” reconnaissance drone—more autonomous. This will allow the equipment to “see” the surrounding situation better and process data faster.