Ukraine has revealed a new compact naval weapon — Ursula — a tiny drone boat that can carry and launch FPV drones for attack and reconnaissance missions, Forbes tech correspondent David Hambling reports. The boat, only one meter (about three feet) long, was introduced in a video from the Association of Ukrainian Engineers and developed by startup ToviTechNet.

As Ukraine faces Russia’s full-scale invasion without access to modern fighter jets, warships, or long-range missile systems — and without formal military alliances — it has embraced asymmetric warfare. With limited conventional tools, Kyiv is turning to innovative, low-cost drone technologies to strike back across land, air, and sea.

“This robot vessel may be the world’s smallest aircraft carrier,” Hambling wrote.

What is Ursula?

• Size: ~1 meter (3 feet) long
• Function: Launches FPV drones or acts as a suicide drone
• Uses: River patrols, swamp operations, reconnaissance, explosive delivery

The boat is designed for shallow waters, rivers, and swamps, giving Ukraine an edge in covert inland operations against Russian forces. It can also be equipped with sensors or explosives for kamikaze missions.

FPV drone attacks from the water

While Ursula’s demo video does not show a drone being launched, Ukraine has already used similar drone boats to launch FPVs in combat.

According to Militarnyi, Ukraine’s armed forces used USVs in January 2025 to strike Russian offshore platforms with drone-launched attacks. FPVs targeted defenders, while the boats deployed underwater mines and rammed the platforms, setting them on fire.

“Flying drones from USVs is already standard practice,” Hambling noted.

Black Widow 2: Ukraine’s other miniature drone boat

The Black Widow 2, another 1-meter-long USV, entered service in early 2025. It features:

• Top speed of 25 mph (40 km/h)
• Gimbal-mounted camera
• Up to 3 kg explosive payload
• “Lurking mode” to hide for days
• Cost: $2,400 per unit
• Production: 100 per month

Although not yet used as a drone carrier, its size and capabilities suggest it could be adapted.

Ukrainian USVs are already launching air strikes

Recent footage shared by Ukrainian military sources shows FPV and fixed-wing drones launched from drone boats during attacks in Russian-occupied Crimea and along the Dnipro River.

In July 2025, Ukraine released a video showing FPVs launched from USVs striking components of a Russian Nebo-M radar system, including the radar command post.

“One FPV strike is enough to destroy an aircraft on deck,” Hambling wrote. “Taking out 95% of the attacking drones and boats may not be enough.”

Long-term potential: Ocean-crossing drone boats

Ukraine’s smaller USVs like Ursula currently rely on battery power, but future systems could follow models like:

• WaveGlider (US Navy) — wave + solar-powered
• Saildrone — wind-powered with extreme endurance

These uncrewed platforms have already crossed oceans and could one day carry drones across the globe, enabling attacks from the sea into any coastal zone.

“They are inexpensive and stealthy… and could cover the world’s oceans,” Hambling noted.

Why this matters

Ursula might be tiny, but its implications are big: FPV drone warfare has now gone naval. What looks like a toy can silently carry deadly drones into enemy territory — from inland rivers to coastal defenses.

As Ukraine pushes drone innovation further, Ursula is a glimpse of how miniature drone boats could reshape future conflicts, one river or shoreline at a time.

Technology is Ukraine’s chance to win the war. This is why we’re launching the David vs. Goliath defense blog to support Ukrainian engineers who are creating innovative battlefield solutions and are inviting you to join us on the journey.

Our platform will showcase the Ukrainian defense tech underdogs who are Ukraine’s hope to win in the war against Russia, giving them the much-needed visibility to connect them with crucial expertise, funding, and international support. Together, we can give David the best fighting chance he has.

Join us in building this platform—become a Euromaidan Press Patron. As little as $5 monthly will boost strategic innovations that could succeed where traditional approaches have failed.

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion, the new Ursula sabotage-ready river drone can either strike with explosives or deploy an FPV drone mid-mission, giving Ukrainian forces new options for river-based operations.

Ursula sabotage-ready river drone expands battlefield versatility

According to Militarnyi, the Association of Ukrainian Engineers reports that Ukrainian firm NoviTechNet has developed a new compact unmanned surface vessel named Ursula. Measuring about one meter in length, the vessel can support different mission profiles depending on its configuration.

According to the Association, the Ursula sabotage-ready river drone can perform reconnaissance along rivers, canals, and coastal areas. It can also operate in kamikaze mode as, in the developers’ words, a “floating mine,” carrying an explosive payload to strike enemy targets. Alternatively, it can transport and launch a small FPV drone — either for surveillance or attack — directly from the water. 

Ukraine’s growing use of unmanned river vessels

This is not the first Ukrainian-made unmanned boat built for river operations. Earlier this year, Ukraine’s Defense Forces began testing the Black Widow 2 drone boat. Like Ursula, it measures one meter long. It weighs 8 kg, reaches speeds up to 40 km/h, and has an operational range of 10 km.

Black Widow 2 can remain in standby mode for several days while awaiting a target. However, unlike Ursula, it does not carry or launch FPV drones.

“Controlling a one-meter electric boat may seem like child’s play, but the vessel is more dangerous than it looks. Besides spying and recon missions, the river drone can be loaded with several kilograms of explosives. The 3 kg payload, according to the developer, is enough to destroy small boats and vessels,” Militarnyi noted.