Ukraine scales radio-beacon network for drones operating without satellite navigation

Ukraine is scaling a ground-based radio-beacon network for drone navigation when satellite signals are jammed or unavailable. Ukrainian General Andrii Lebedenko said in July 2026 that a pilot project in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions had proved effective.

The beacons have known coordinates and transmit signals containing distance and timing information. Using data from several devices together with altitude, a drone can calculate its own position.

Network planned across Ukraine

Lebedenko said the successful pilot led to a decision to expand the system across Ukraine. The network is expected to support not only drones but also light aircraft, interceptor drones and sensors used by Ukraine’s Defence Forces.

Beacon-based navigation can help Ukrainian drones conduct missions inside Russia when GNSS is unavailable. The technology has been tested for selected combat missions for several years.

Manufacturers test their systems

BBC News Ukraine reported that several Ukrainian defence manufacturers are developing beacon-navigation systems. Sine.Engineering and Vyriy Industries have publicly announced such projects.

Sine.Engineering co-founder and CEO Andrii Chulyk confirmed that the company had been working on a beacon network for some time, but declined to comment on reports that its beacons had been found in occupied areas and Russia, citing security risks.

The company’s Pasika project, based on Sine.Link modules, is intended to deliver groups of drones to a designated area in radio-silence mode. An operator may take control after arrival, while the drones are designed to return autonomously.

Vyriy Industries announced its own beacon modules in March 2026. Development director Eduard Lysenko said the system is undergoing combat testing by Ukrainian defence units on selected missions and parts of the front.

Russia announces Ariadna system

In December 2025, Russia announced tests of a satellite-free navigation prototype called Ariadna. Its developers claimed positioning accuracy of 15–20 centimetres.

Ukrainian presidential technology adviser Serhii Beskrestnov said Russia was considering the system for Shahed drones, guided bombs and missiles. He also said it could allow Russian drones to navigate up to 100 kilometres into Ukraine.

Beskrestnov described navigation using variations in Earth’s magnetic field as more promising than other options, but said it was not yet ready for serial production. He noted that visual navigation depends on weather conditions.