The Estonian Defense League, a civilian group in Estonia, is helping drive innovation in drone technology, providing field support and battlefield networking with Ukrainian troops fighting a Russian invasion.
According to a Defense One report, one of the voluntary organization’s projects, dubbed “Angry Hedgehog,” seeks to develop a locally produced short-range loitering unmanned aircraft system resembling Ukraine’s first-person-view drones.
Aivar Hanniotti, a resource person for the Estonian military’s drone technology and development, told Defense One that the Angry Hedgehog drone’s design will feature a custom warhead and a 9-mile range.
The UAS will incorporate artificial intelligence guidance at the final mile of its target, which is increasingly being used to counter Russian jamming. With its components sourced from European suppliers, the drone will cost under $1,000, Hanniotti said, substantially less than similar aircraft, such as the multi-mission Rogue 1, priced at $94,000.
Further tests are scheduled for June. According to Hanniotti, Estonia aims to deliver 1,000 drones for combat testing in 2025, paving the way for a possible full deployment.
In early June, the U.K. government opened the bidding for suppliers of the Drone Capability Coalition for Ukraine, seeking the rapid supply of thousands of FPV UAS to Kyiv.