Ukraine's interceptor drones are rewriting the rules of war. NATO is taking notice.

"About a year into Russia's war, a Ukrainian drone instructor pitched what sounded to troops like science fiction: flying quadcopters into Moscow's scout drones midair. The soldiers thought it was impossible. It would be too difficult to maneuver a quadcopter, or small drone, into another fast-moving target, they said. They joked that he'd been watching too much "Star Wars," recalled Yeti, the co-owner of Drone Fight Club, a privately run combat drone school in Kyiv."

"What once seemed laughable has since become a low-cost and critical pillar of Ukraine's defense. While Russia hurls growing waves of explosive drones at its cities, Ukraine is increasingly flying cheap interceptor drones to stop them. These weapons downed 150 attack drones in one recent bombardment. Ukraine is now aiming to manufacture 1,000 interceptors a day. The ripples of this technological breakthrough extend beyond Ukraine, showing how future wars involving mass drone attacks can be fought with cheap defenses."

"NATO is taking note. "Hit-to-kill" interceptor drones are one of the most "promising" solutions for European allies to defend against Russian drones, said Adm. Pierre Vandier, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, who oversees modernization. Business Insider interviewed Ukrainian insiders, including drone manufacturers, pilots, and designersabout how interceptors have evolved from a scrappy experiment into a top defense priority."

About a year into Russia's war, Ukrainian forces began experimenting with flying quadcopters into Russian scout drones midair as interceptors. Initially regarded as improbable, cheap quadcopter "hit-to-kill" interceptors proved effective against waves of explosive Russian drones, reportedly downing 150 attack drones in one bombardment. Ukraine is moving to mass-produce these interceptors, targeting 1,000 units per day. NATO views hit-to-kill interceptors as a promising defense solution for European allies. Both Ukraine and Russia now deploy a range of interceptor drones. The shift reflects pressure to develop relatively cheap, simple counters to growing aerial drone threats.

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