German Stark Defence introduced the Virtus strike drone, which is already in use in Ukraine

The German company Stark Defence presented its first Virtus strike drone at the Defense Tech Valley 2025 exhibition, Militarnyi writes.

The device has a flight range of up to 100 km, is capable of carrying up to 5 kg of payload, and is compatible with various types of ammunition. The camera is located in the nose, and guidance is carried out using visual navigation and a sensor module.

The system is equipped with machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms to recognize targets, while the operator can manually confirm the attack.

The drone is able to return to base if necessary. Communication is implemented through several channels, resistant to electronic warfare. Launching takes from 2 to 10 minutes and does not require bulky equipment.

Virtus is already in use by the Ukrainian military. After initial flaws were discovered, the manufacturer quickly made changes that increased the effectiveness of the device.

The drone is being delivered at the company's expense. The plans include strengthening electronic warfare protection, upgrading sensors, expanding AI libraries for more accurate target recognition, and increasing production volumes.

Part of the development is being carried out in Germany, but adaptation and improvement are taking place in Ukraine, taking into account the real conditions of combat use. The Virtus prototype was brought to a serial product in 8 months.

By the way, at the Defense Tech Valley 2025 exhibition, the Ukrainian company Vyriy presented the "September" drone-queen and the budget reconnaissance UAV "Sokil".