August M
Russia is quietly experimenting with an unusual form of surveillance technology that blurs the line between biology and machines. At its center is a little-known startup whose work has drawn attention far beyond the laboratory.
The project combines animals, neural implants and state-linked funding, raising fresh questions about ethics, military use and political connections in Russian science.
Early flight tests
According to Digi24.ro, citing reporting by Meduza, the Moscow-based startup Neiry Group is developing pigeons fitted with brain implants, which it describes as remotely guided “biodrones.” The company says the birds could one day be used for monitoring or reconnaissance tasks.
Neiry announced that its first official tests took place on November 25, 2025, when several implanted pigeons completed a controlled flight between a laboratory and a launch point. The company claims it has already produced “dozens of such birds.”
The system relies on electrodes implanted directly in the bird’s brain, connected to a small electronic unit mounted on its back. This device includes a controller, stimulator and solar panels, while a camera is fixed to the bird’s chest.
Neiry says electrical impulses influence decisions such as turning left or right, with navigation supported by GPS. Independent specialists told Meduza that the filmed flights appeared stiff and unnatural, suggesting only limited control rather than precise guidance.
Money and research
Founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Alexander Panov, Neiry Group works on a wide range of neurotechnology projects. These include devices to monitor psychological states, stimulators for the vagus nerve, implants aimed at boosting milk production in cows and experiments involving neurally controlled rats.
Public information shows the company has nearly 50 projects and has attracted close to one billion rubles in funding. This money comes from a mix of private investors and state-backed structures.
Among the backers is the National Technological Initiative Foundation, created by the Russian government, which invested about 360 million rubles. The Voskhod Fund, linked to billionaire Vladimir Potanin’s Interros group, has also provided financing.
One scientific adviser is Professor Mikhail Lebedev, a well-known researcher in brain-computer interfaces, lending the company academic credibility.
Ties to power
Attention has focused on Neiry’s collaboration with researchers from the Institute of Artificial Intelligence at Moscow State University, headed by Katerina Tikhonova, President Vladimir Putin’s youngest daughter.
Neiry works with the institute’s laboratory for invasive neural interfaces, led by Vasily Popkov, which studies implants similar to those used in the pigeon experiments. According to T-invariant, this connection has helped attract unprecedented funding. As one expert told the outlet, “Money is circulating in Neiry that has never been seen in Russian neuroscience before.”
Panov has openly promoted far-reaching goals, including the creation of “Homo superior,” a future human integrated with artificial intelligence. On Telegram, he has written about “selling people to the state” and “cultural reprogramming,” remarks that have alarmed ethicists.
Many scientists remain skeptical, warning that animal brains are poorly mapped, implants are unreliable outside labs, and mechanical drones are more effective without ethical risks. Bioethicists also caution against harm to animals and what they call “forced optimism” driven by funding.
Sources: Digi24.ro, Meduza, T-invariant
