New Octopus drone shown to British delegation in Kyiv
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry's press service said this in a statement seen by Ukrinform.
According to the statement, during the event the Ukrainian side emphasized the high demand for interceptor drones to protect Ukraine's skies.
The Octopus drone was developed within the Ukrainian Armed Forces and is equipped with an artificial intelligence-based control system. It is designed to counter Shahed-type drones, and its effectiveness has been confirmed in combat.
Cooperation between manufacturers and the military makes it possible to continuously improve this technology and creates a highly effective R&D ecosystem. Production of the drone is being launched in both Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
The transfer of technology for manufacturing Octopus at British facilities became possible thanks to reforms in the field of intellectual property at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
In particular, in May 2025, a dedicated Intellectual Property Office was established at the Ministry. Its experts ensured compliance with legal requirements when concluding the licensing agreement with the UK government, including legal protection of the technology in Ukraine, filing an international patent application, and legal support for the licensing agreement with the UK Ministry of Defense.
In November 2025, delegations from the defense ministries of Ukraine and the United Kingdom signed a licensing agreement on the Octopus interceptor drone, paving the way for its production in the UK. Output may reach several thousand drones per month. The manufactured systems will be transferred to Ukraine to strengthen air defense.
This is the first time the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has concluded such an agreement concerning technologies owned by the state. This precedent opens new opportunities for Ukraine for bilateral exchanges of defense technologies with partner countries.
As reported, the production of Octopus interceptor drones in the United Kingdom under a joint project will begin in January, with deliveries to Ukraine starting in February.
Photo: Ukrainian Defense Ministry
