Ukraine Combat Units' R&D Labs Build New Weapons, Keep IP Rights

To further hasten the transfer of new technology for use against the Russians, many Ukrainian combat units have created their own R&D labs. Among the inventions from such groups are ground drones armed with mines or artillery shells low enough to the ground to fit below Russian tanks under which they can then detonate (pictured). Another UGV uses anti-tank mines as its wheels!

The combat unit R&D groups own the intellectual property rights to the invention but the right to license or transfer belongs to the government. JL

Counteroffensive Pro reports:

Ukrainian combat units have set up their own R&D labs to adapt and develop equipment for operational needs. These teams include engineers and programmers. They use front line experience to refine drones, repair communication systems, and integrate new technology. The Special Forces Unit of the National Guard produces all of its drones. The 3rd Assault Brigade has developed its own UGV that uses wheels equipped with anti-tank mines. The mines act as both wheels and explosives, allowing the UGV to carry an extra payload. The 412th Regiment created its own interceptor. Under a new law, a soldier who develops an invention holds the right to authorship and the right to fair compensation for creating intellectual property. The right to use, license, or transfer it go to the state.

R&D units are made up of specialists who work directly within combat units to develop and modernize equipment.

Nearly every unit set up its own R&D laboratory, bringing in specialists to adapt and develop equipment for operational needs. But there is no official number because the informal detachments are not recognized at the government level.

These teams usually include former civilian engineers and programmers. They use feedback from the front line to refine drones, repair communication systems, and integrate new technological solutions. This approach also allows conscripted soldiers to be placed where their knowledge and abilities are most valuable.

“An R&D unit is precisely the unit that quickly finds solutions [to problems] faced by [drone] pilots, transmits this information to different manufacturers, and then demonstrates ready solutions,” explained Dmytro Filatov, commander of the 1st Separate Assault Regiment, in which an R&D unit has been operating for almost two years.

According to Filatov, almost all received FPV and UGV systems are refined by specialists from R&D units. Only aerial attack systems, Leleka UAVs, or the Vampire bomber drone do not require modifications. However, ground stations are upgraded, with amplifiers installed and the antenna modules themselves improved.

Ukrainian FPV drone Khyzhak (Predator) REBOFF. Photo by 3DTech.

Some of these changes are passed on to the manufacturers, allowing the next batches to include adapted models. But even as developers are implementing modifications, new challenges often arise, and the updated product can suddenly lose its relevance.

“For our unit, if we see an issue, then our engineers try to solve it,” Hlib, an FPV drone engineer in a volunteer unit, told Counteroffensive.Pro, asking to be identified only by his call sign for security reasons.

His unit is up to 100 people, which allows for the problem to be quickly identified and resolved without going through a strict hierarchy. He said their engineering lab consists of four people, including drone pilots.

Many Ukrainian units have recognized the need for their own R&D departments and established them, tailoring technology directly to their operational needs. The Birds of Magyar brigade was among the first to successfully experiment with FPV drones equipped with fiber optics, for instance.

The Darknode unit of the 412th Separate Nemesis Regiment has developed its own interceptor designed to counter Shahed drones and is actively scaling production.

The Lazar Separate Special Forces Detachment of the National Guard produces all of its drones within its R&D unit. And the 3rd Assault Brigade has developed its own UGV that uses wheels equipped with anti-tank mines. The TM-62 anti-tank mines act as both wheels and explosives, allowing the UGV to carry an extra payload.

A drone with TM-62 mines instead of wheels. Photo taken from ArmyTV.

While the Russians also form their own R&D units, they are not as widespread as in Ukraine, Filatov said. The large-scale deployment of R&D units across multiple military formations provides the Ukrainian forces with a significant advantage, he added.

In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, R&D units are not officially recognized, and there are no established positions for such groups. These units operate as temporary, joint detachments formed by a commander’s order, Filatov explained.

Because of this lack of formal status, there's no mechanism for funding from the MoD budget.

The financial and operational support of such departments is mainly provided through volunteer fundraising or with the assistance of manufacturers, who sometimes supply the materials.

At the same time, specialists are unable to earn high salaries, as they are not usually on the front line.

What is the legal status of R&D units?

In August 2025, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law regarding intellectual property rights for objects created during military service, and it was signed a month later by President Zelenskyy. The document establishes a procedure for assigning rights to inventions created by servicemembers.

Under the law, the servicemember who developed the invention holds the right to authorship and recognition. The developer also has the right to fair compensation for creating such intellectual property. At the same time, property rights to the created object — the right to use, license, or transfer it — go to the state.

The law also stipulates that if the competent authority, such as the Ministry of Defence’s Intellectual Property Office, does not apply for state registration of the object within four months, this right may revert to the developer.

This law helps to better regulate the military development sector. For field R&D units, it provides the chance for inventors to legally secure their work.

If R&D units are established across all military formations, it will also be possible to scale successful upgrades, Filatov added. This would encourage healthy competition between units and provide commanders with a tool to enhance capabilities.

Units would be able to report on the upgrades they implement, enabling the General Staff to assess the effectiveness of solutions and decide whether to implement them on a mass scale or procure them centrally.