In conditions where the adversary actively employs electronic warfare (EW) jamming, traditional drones that rely on a stable link with the operator lose their combat effectiveness. It is precisely this vulnerability that NATO is trying to close by testing the onboard artificial intelligence developed by Swedish startup Scaleout Systems. The system runs directly on the drone itself and enables it to operate autonomously — from target detection to delivering the strike.
From trucks to defense
Scaleout Systems was founded by researchers from Uppsala University and initially developed artificial intelligence algorithms for freight transport. Following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the startup fully pivoted to the defense sector, adapting its computer vision expertise to the tasks of military reconnaissance and target engagement.
Compact vision instead of the cloud
The key differentiator of Scaleout's solution is its rejection of bulky cloud-based models in the vein of OpenAI or Anthropic. The developers adapted compact computer vision algorithms to run on the weaker processors installed on drones, in tablets, and at field command posts. This allows the system to operate locally, without requiring a constant connection to external servers — a critical advantage within the reach of EW systems.
Testing: from detection to autonomous strike
Under the NATO DIANA program, the developers integrated their AI into the ALMA project, a low-cost suicide drone being developed jointly with BAE Systems Bofors. According to January 2026 test results in Sweden, the drone independently detected, identified, and determined the coordinates of all potential threats in the observation zone. Based on predefined priorities, the algorithm selected the most valuable target — an armored engineering vehicle — and directed the explosive at it without a direct operator command.
Federated learning and operation without comms
June tests at the airbase in Uppsala showed that field nodes are capable of continuing to train the AI even after losing connection with the central laboratory, and then synchronizing the accumulated data once the network is restored. In the long term, this latest "federated learning" system will enable instant exchange of intelligence data among all NATO member states, creating a common operational picture without a centralized node.
Strategic significance
The combination of a low-cost carrier, onboard AI, and federated data exchange changes the logic of countering EW: instead of depending on a communications channel, the drone becomes an independent "eye and hand" on the battlefield. For the alliance, this is a step toward the mass deployment of autonomous strike systems capable of operating in conditions where traditional radio-channel control is impossible.
