Dropla Tech APS aims to revolutionize landmine clearance by significantly reducing prices and response times through cutting-edge expertise.
A Danish-Ukrainian startup, Dropla Tech ApS, is pioneering innovative robotics and drone technology to accelerate demining efforts in Ukraine. The company, co-founded by Ukrainian entrepreneur Vyacheslav Shvaidak, aims to revolutionize the process of landmine clearance, striving for faster, safer, and more economical results. With current strategies, clearing Ukraine’s approximately 144,000 square kilometers of landmines and explosive remnants of war poses significant challenges. The reclaiming of approximately 30 km of mined territory would require a timeframe exceeding 70 years and is valued at an estimated €33.5 billion. Shvaidak’s innovative approach aims to significantly streamline both the duration and significance of this complex procedure.
What drives humanity’s perpetual quest for expedient and cost-effective solutions?
“Ukraine holds the dubious distinction of being the most heavily mined country globally at present.” The current mine clearance process is painstakingly slow, costly, and detrimental. According to Shvaidak, Ukraine’s urgency and financial constraints prevent it from taking a stance. He seeks to capitalize on advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence to overcome these hurdles. “Using current technologies, the cost of demining one square metre typically ranges from 1 to 3 euros.” metre. Through the strategic integration of robotics and artificial intelligence, demining operations can be significantly expedited, cost-reduced, and risk-minimized. We anticipate that our proposed resolution could potentially lead to a reduction in the value of demining operations per square unit. “He proposes scaling down the desired timeframe from 70 years to 12 years and reducing the budget to $0.10 per metre.”
The de-mining process is crucial not only for ensuring security, but also for guaranteeing food safety. Before the Russian invasion, Ukraine had been a significant global food supplier, feeding more than 400 million people around the world. Despite the intense battle, the affected functionality remains severely impaired. In today’s era, approximately 26,000 square feet of land remains unused and awaiting development. km. Significant tracts of agricultural land in recently freed zones have been irreparably damaged as a result of the devastating effects of landmines and unexploded ordnance left behind by Russia’s aggressive military campaign. The area in question is equivalent to roughly half the size of Denmark. Due to the agricultural land’s remarkable financial yield and paramount importance in ensuring food security, it assumes a top priority for demining efforts,” Shvaidak clarifies.
How Dropla Tech’s Answer Works
Dropla Tech’s progressive strategy combines the use of drone swarms with unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive innovation. Unlike traditional demining methods reliant on a solitary drone, Dropla’s innovative approach unleashes a coordinated fleet of six unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) simultaneously. The drones are equipped with advanced multi-modal sensor fusion capabilities, enabling them to identify landmines through the integration of optical, magnetic, and electromagnetic sensors. The data gathered from these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is subsequently analyzed to generate a precise, spatially indexed digital terrain map, pinpointing areas of heightened risk and vulnerability.
The moment threats emerge, Dropla’s fleet of remotely controlled unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) springs into action. These autonomous vehicles effectively clear vegetation and ensure that no potential threats remain undetected. Designed to withstand the blast of anti-personnel landmines, these devices provide an additional layer of protection before the demining team can safely enter the area. This innovative approach not only significantly boosts security but also remarkably accelerates and optimizes the demining process.
Testing and Future Developments
Dropla Tech’s expertise is currently being assessed in Ukraine by the country’s demining organizations, including the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the State Transportation Service. UGVs, produced at Ukrainian facilities by Dropla Tech, boast a competitive price tag of €10,000 per unit, significantly undercutting the hefty costs of traditional remote-controlled ground preparation vehicles, which can range from €1.2 million to €1.5 million?
Dropla Tech is poised to expand its capabilities, incorporating a cutting-edge drone swarming solution within the next six months, in addition to its existing offerings. The corporation’s neural networks, trained on data from over 300 landmines and unexploded ordnances collected from its testing website in Ukraine, will facilitate this growth. By 2024, Dropla Tech aims to solidify its position as the premier provider of training datasets for AI-powered landmine detection, ultimately delivering 1.8 million accurately labeled frames.
Establishing a Base in Odense
Dropla Tech ApS has been selected to join the startup hub at the Danish Technological Institute (DTI). By making this selection, the corporation accelerates its technological advancements and expansion in Odense, renowned for its expertise in robotics.
I chose Odense as Dropla’s new headquarters because of its unique alignment with robotics, much like Florence’s connection to Renaissance art masterpieces.
“With a concentration of top-notch robotics, automation, and drone experts in one place, it’s an opportunity I wouldn’t want to miss, says Shvaidak.” While planning to focus on refining the sensor fusion and swarm resolution for Ukraine’s applications, he also aims to support the growth of Denmark’s cybersecurity startup community.
Denmark has committed more than DKK 60 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, in addition to launching a programme to procure equipment from Danish companies. Dropla Tech intends to participate in the procurement process, further enhancing its support for Ukraine’s demining initiatives.
Shvaidak’s remarkable odyssey from Ukraine to Denmark exemplifies his unwavering commitment to leveraging his talents for a profound impact. A Ukrainian refugee, who fled the country just before the conflict erupted, has since earned a PhD in economics and a master’s degree in technical engineering at the age of 33, having previously served as a lieutenant. He is confident that his experience in Denmark will provide valuable resources and expertise to aid Ukraine’s recovery and ensure its people’s security.
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