Innovating at the pace of relevance: the case of Ukrainian unmanned systems

Drones have become pivotal in the Russo‑Ukrainian war, yet the mechanisms behind their transformation to a key military capability remain poorly understood. This article examines how Ukrainian state, military, and commercial actors applied an open innovation model to scale unmanned systems during Russia’s full‑scale invasion. Using a case study approach and data from 36 stakeholder interviews, it identifies the key actors and organisational structures – like the Unmanned Systems Force and the Brave1 platform – that shaped battlefield innovation across three stages of ecosystem development. The findings highlight the critical role of engineer‒soldier collaboration and inclusion of non-traditional defence technology producers. Sustaining innovation required significant bureaucratic adaptation, including new organisational actors and institutional mechanisms that facilitated decentralised development and cross‑governmental coordination. The study underscores the value of structures that support rapid iterative development and simplified procurement, and contributes theoretical and practical insights into the procedural aspects of military innovation in software-defined systems.