Auterion, Airlogix form venture to build autonomous strike drones in Germany
Auterion and Airlogix have launched a joint venture to produce AI-guided autonomous drones for Ukraine and allied countries.
The announcement came at the Munich Security Conference and signals a major European push to scale drone manufacturing for Ukraine’s defense. The new company, Auterion Airlogix Joint Venture GmbH, has backing from the German and Ukrainian governments. The drones will be built in Germany. Ukraine has already asked for thousands of the mid-range autonomous strike systems for its armed forces. The same platforms are also intended to support procurement needs for German forces.
The venture combines Airlogix’s combat-proven unmanned aircraft with Auterion’s software stack for autonomous navigation, AI guidance and resistance to electronic warfare. The companies said the systems are designed to operate in harsh battlefield conditions while remaining compliant with NATO standards. Manufacturing in Germany is meant to protect supply chains, support industrial scale-up and speed deliveries to frontline units.
Initial production is scheduled for 2026. The program adds to a broader effort to strengthen Europe’s defense manufacturing base through NATO-aligned drone production on the continent. It also follows another recently announced German-Ukrainian partnership between Ukrainian company TAF and German drone maker Wingcopter.
The tie-up underlines how Europe is moving from ad hoc support to structured industrial cooperation on autonomous weapons systems. If production ramps as planned, the venture could expand Ukraine’s access to battlefield drones while helping Germany and its allies build a more resilient domestic defense supply network.