Recently, the Combat Experience Forum took place in Kyiv as part of the "Furia_Mission_2025" competition final. The event, organized by the manufacturer NVP "Athlon Avia", became the first platform in Ukraine where an open dialogue between the manufacturer and "Furia" UAV pilots took place to systematically collect crew experience, generalize it, and transform it into changes.
The "Furia_Mission_2025" competition started in September 2025 and took place in several stages, which included collecting cases from crews and 2 round tables with the participation of leading specialists and media.
The forum program consisted of 2 important parts: workshops for students and military personnel, and the competition final with a professional panel discussion and awarding prizes to the winners of the competition for reconnaissance drone crews.
Based on the results of multi-factor evaluation, the best crews received powerful technical reinforcement: 1st place: the crew of the State Border Guard Service unit GV BAS "Phoenix" — a new pickup truck; 2nd place: the crew of the 44th Separate Artillery Brigade — an electronic warfare complex on a vehicle and a generator; 3rd place: the crew of the 47th Separate Artillery Brigade — an electronic warfare complex on a vehicle.
The jury also recognized certain crews for their diligent approach — the pilots received high-speed satellite communication systems. Each participant of the competition received two sets of updated batteries for the "Furia" UAV, branded hoodies, and calendars of the media project "Furia Pilots - 2026".
The "Furia_Mission_2025" Combat Experience Forum brought together 150 participants, including:
- 26 "Furia" UAV crews who participated in the competition and shared practical cases of mission execution;
- competition partners — the Main Directorate of Doctrines and Training of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Directorate of Doctrines and Training of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 69th Separate Special Electronic Support Center. And technical support for the competition in the form of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynskyi;
- military units: Ground Forces Command, Air Assault Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Unmanned Systems Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 10th Army Corps, Operational Command West, 150th and 184th training centers;
- military and technical universities — Zhytomyr Military Institute, Odesa Military Academy and National Ground Forces Academy of Ukraine, Kyiv National University, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Kyiv Aviation Institute, National Defense University of Ukraine.
Media partners of the "Furia_mission_2025" Combat Experience Forum: StarlightMedia, Suspilne Media, Defense Express, DEFENDER MEDIA, Dilova Stolytsia, Oboz, UNN, The Page, Speka, Mind.
During the events, 2 panel discussions took place, where, among other things, the competition was discussed as an extremely effective method of collecting relevant combat experience, and there was an open conversation about how the training and application of unmanned systems should change. Among the discussion participants were: founder, CEO of "Athlon Avia" Artem Vyunnyk, Deputy Director of NVP "Athlon Avia" for Development and Operation Serhiy Mokreniuk, President of KAI Ksenia Semenova, and Executive Director of the Ukrainian Council of Arms Manufacturers Ihor Fedirko. The moderator was journalist, TV presenter of "Suspilne Media" Yevhenii Aharkov.
Direct speech of participants:
Artem Vyunnyk, CEO of "Athlon Avia": "Even the most modern 'hardware' accounts for only 30% of efficiency. The true 70% of the success of any operation depends on the operator — the person who knows how to get the most out of what they have in their hands.
"Furia_mission_2025" is a strategic event for creating a unified database of combat knowledge. Although filling out reports according to a template in combat conditions is burdensome, this data becomes the foundation for improving the qualifications of future generations of pilots. The value of the event lies in the result, which will manifest itself over time — when the accumulated experience is implemented in regulations and methodologies, which will systematically increase the effectiveness of UAV use at the front.
The effectiveness of "Furia" is not only about wings and a camera, but primarily about the generalized experience of hundreds of operators, which, thanks to this competition, becomes a common asset and a weapon of victory."
Ihor Fedirko, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Council of Arms Manufacturers: "I appreciate the approach where the manufacturer builds an ecosystem around the product: trains pilots, collects and processes combat experience, and transfers it between units. In fact, by teaching a pilot to work on their aircraft, they are already doing a significant part of the work for its further effectiveness with any system.
The story with the competition among military personnel at the initiative of the company was very indicative and motivating. It is clear that this works for the military. What yields results and tangible benefits in use should be scaled. It is incredibly pleasant to see the sincere joy of young pilots who won among 26 teams not by chance, but due to their own experience, quality work with missions and reports. It is important that this story did not remain a one-time event."
Serhiy Mokreniuk, Deputy Director of NVP "Athlon Avia" for Development and Operation: "Thanks to the "Furia_Mission_2025" competition and the information received from combat crews who directly work with Furia, we have already significantly changed a lot. Firstly, we now teach pilots differently in our schools. Secondly, they have already started spreading this knowledge to other crews. In addition, universities are already using it in their work. And most importantly, we are talking about who will further adopt this experience. Because any knowledge has value only if it finds practical application."
Ksenia Semenova, President of KAI: "For us, this event was extremely valuable, as we were able to involve students in direct communication with military personnel who work with "Furia". This is an experience that can rarely be obtained from drone manufacturers. Students can intern, work, or attend lectures, but to see the product you create through the eyes of its real user — that is priceless.
The fact that "Athlon" builds such a feedback system instills the right culture in future specialists. Such a cultural message is the foundation for true engineers of the future."
Chief pilot of the winning crew, call sign "Advocate": "The most important value of this competition is the mutual exchange of experience. There was communication with the manufacturer and the participants of this competition, where each side shared their vision of where to develop, how to improve. The manufacturer, for its part, shared what they are already doing, what will be implemented soon. Which of our wishes as pilots they took into account, because it is technically possible, and which are not, but they are looking for compromises on how to implement it.
This is probably the most important thing — that the manufacturer listens to the users, so that it is better and more effective for us to use, so that it is effective, and not just flew and returned. Now this is a pressing problem in all areas — the lack of exchange of experience that everyone can use."
KAI and KPI students communicated with experienced pilots who explained how to bypass enemy electronic warfare and maintain communication with artillery. The youth were interested in literally everything: How does "Furia" fly? What type of communication is used, what were the nuances in its operation? What cases occurred? Why does electronic warfare "suppress"? What moments arise for us, how do we complete tasks and combat electronic warfare suppression? How many hours do "Furia" fly? Under what most difficult conditions did we have to fly and how does the complex behave in different weather conditions?
Conclusions:
The cumulative result of the participants' work in the competition forms the basis for changing training programs in military schools. This allows new crews to be trained according to the standards of those who have already succeeded in combat.
The effectiveness of the army is based on the ability to quickly transform combat reports into systemic knowledge and training programs, where the main focus remains on the human operator. This will allow all capabilities of the complex to be used correctly at 100%.
The competition does not end with the awards, the organizers' plans include:
- all developed conclusions and recommendations have already been submitted to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for implementation. The crews' materials are planned to be used as a basis for training programs, methodological recommendations, and manuals in military training centers and higher military educational institutions;
- the crews' proposals are taken into account in future technical updates of the "Furia" UAV by the manufacturer;
- further development of a community of professionals who directly influence the evolution of Ukrainian weapons.
The "Furia_Mission_2025" Competition and Combat Experience Forum "Furia Mission 2025" proved: the future of Ukrainian defense technologies is built on the synergy of manufacturer and warrior!
You can find out more on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/athlonavia/