Romanian Firm Leads €11.6 Million EU Project to Develop AI-Powered Military Drone Swarm
Romanian firm Kapamed leads an €11.6 million European Defence Fund project to develop a 10-drone AI swarm with hydrogen propulsion and electronic warfare capabilities.
A Romanian company is leading a European defense project worth approximately €11.6 million to develop a coordinated fleet of 10 military drones, combining artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, surveillance and alternative propulsion technologies.
Kapamed International, based in Cluj-Napoca, is coordinating the Small UAS program under the European Defence Fund (EDF). European Commission documentation confirms an estimated project cost of €11,585,387.50, with a maximum EU contribution of €10,999,940.
The initiative brings together defense technology companies and research organizations from seven EU member states, with additional associated partners in Ukraine.
Ten Drones, Three Operational Roles
The planned system will bring together unmanned aircraft performing different missions through a common AI-supported architecture.
According to Romanian reporting on the project's technical documentation, the proposed configuration includes six intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, two electronic warfare platforms and two drones designed to carry precision-strike payloads.
The European Commission confirms that two aircraft will use hydrogen propulsion, while the remaining eight will combine hybrid engines with advanced batteries. The objective is to extend operational endurance and reduce acoustic signatures.
The system is intended to support operations across land, air and maritime environments, where small drones must operate under demanding conditions and potentially contested communications.
These capabilities remain development objectives, not demonstrated operational performance.
A European Industrial Consortium
Kapamed International is controlled by Romanian entrepreneur Vasile-Serioja Ruscovan, whose business activities have expanded from medical equipment into military unmanned systems.
The consortium includes Cyprus-based ADDITESS and Ecliptic Defence and Space, Slovenia's SSRD and Beyond Semiconductor, Lithuania's DevSlate Group, Austria's Logiicdev, ICT Legal Consulting International in the Netherlands and the University of West Attica in Greece.
ADDITESS has identified the manufacturing of aerial platforms using advanced synthetic materials as one of its principal responsibilities.
Two Ukrainian companies, Kapamed Ukraine and Intelekt TV, are also associated with the initiative, bringing an additional Ukrainian dimension to the multinational development effort.
The 48-month project began in November 2025 and is scheduled to continue until 2029.
Romania's Growing Role in European Drone Development
The project illustrates how smaller European companies are entering complex multinational defense programs traditionally associated with established manufacturers.
For Romania, the initiative comes amid a broader debate over domestic military drone production and the difficulties private manufacturers face in securing orders.
As AdriaDefense recently reported, Romanian UAV manufacturer Autonomous Flight Technologies has warned that insufficient domestic procurement remains an obstacle to scaling local production.
The Small UAS program offers a different development route through multinational research funding, shared engineering and cooperation between established suppliers and newer defense technology companies.
Its significance will ultimately depend on whether the consortium can turn its planned autonomous capabilities into tested aircraft and an interoperable system suitable for military users.
