Ukrainian drone maker SkyFall has rolled out “Thor Hammer,” a new AI-enabled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) built to strike targets hundreds of kilometers away.
The attack UAV comes in two main variants with ranges of 350 kilometers (217 miles) and 600 kilometers (373 miles).
Both versions have a 3.5-meter (11.5-foot) wingspan, a 3-meter (9.8-foot) length, and a maximum operating altitude of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet).
Thor Hammer can carry a warhead weighing up to 50 kilograms (110 pounds), including fragmentation and high-explosive fragmentation payloads.
Crews can prepare the system for launch in about 18 minutes before sending it airborne using either a catapult or rocket booster.
This flexibility allows the drone to operate from fixed infrastructure or vehicle-mounted launchers that can be repositioned as needed.
Its navigation system combines satellite and inertial positioning with backup methods designed to maintain flight in environments affected by electronic warfare.
Engagement Sequence
Thor Hammer begins its mission by following a preset route while transmitting real-time video to its operator.
As it approaches the target area, the UAV alerts the operator, who confirms the target before the onboard AI and computer vision systems take over the final guidance.
The algorithms automatically adjust the flight path toward the designated aim point. According to SkyFall, this onboard guidance remains active even if radio and video communications are interrupted.
Targeting 5,000 Monthly Units
SkyFall said Thor Hammer costs about $25,000 per aircraft, depending on configuration.
The company expects to scale production to 5,000 units per month by the end of the year.
With the UAV already being used in Ukraine, SkyFall is also developing a new variant with a range of up to 1,000 kilometers (621 miles).
