RISE-1, a long-range remote initiation system designed by RSI Europe for safe and flexible explosive initiation, has quickly become one of the most versatile tools in both military environment and humanitarian missions for demining purposes.
Adoption
Over the past three years RISE-1 has moved from initial testing to active use across multiple countries and operational contexts, and the stories coming from its users show how deeply it has been integrated into modern battlefield and specialist workflows.
According to RISE-1 Product owner Justinas Januškevičius, the system’s users today form a surprisingly broad community. Combat engineers and EOD specialists remain the primary operators, as RISE-1 gives them an immediate advantage over traditional cable-based systems. However, infantry in Ukraine have also become active users, largely because the system is safe and intuitive enough to operate without specialized qualifications.
The system has drawn interest from non-military forces in several EU states and humanitarian demining teams under a joint United Nations Development programme (UNDP) and State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) project. In parallel, a number of European countries have purchased units for formal military evaluation.
Drone operators are increasingly attaching cRX modules to UAV platforms — a practice already in adoption process by the Belgian military and being tested by Ukrainian units.
“We see more and more units choosing to integrate cRX with the UAV platforms they already have,” says Januškevičius. “For them it is a straightforward way to extend what their drones can do without changing the whole system.”
Universality
The breadth of adoption reflects one of RISE-1’s defining qualities: universality. It supports both electric and shock-tube detonators, withstands harsh environments, and removes the need to pull heavy cables through dangerous terrain. Several Ukrainian operators have noted that the long battery life and reliability in cold and wet environments are among the system’s most important advantages.
The system’s role on the battlefield is best illustrated by its use in Ukraine, where it has been employed in both offensive and defensive operations. RISE-1 is used to protect defensive lines, initiate ambushes, and coordinate multi-point detonations.
One of the most notable cases comes from Bakhmut, where operators remotely detonated a device left behind weeks ago, when Russian units were passing by — an event captured on video and widely shared within Ukrainian units. There were informal suggestions that the strike may have targeted a higher-ranking Russian officer, though the identities of the individuals in the footage cannot be confirmed.
“From a technical point of view, the Bakhmut case is a good illustration of long-term emplacement and delayed initiation,” notes Januškevičius. “The device stayed in the ground for weeks and still did what it was supposed to do.”
The adaptability of the system has also enabled more unconventional applications. In the Odessa region, operators mounted RX modules on improvised floating platforms for water-related explosive tasks. Although RISE-1 is not designed specifically for maritime operations, its IP67 rating and strong battery performance allowed it to function effectively. Lithuanian forces have also used the system for training, placing charges across a field to simulate artillery fire. Experiments with drone-dropped charges and remote mining are ongoing, with growing interest in timed aerial initiation.
Ruggedness
These use cases are supported by consistently strong technical performance. Company-run long-distance tests have achieved communication links exceeding 80 kilometres using a single repeater, though the officially validated specification guarantees line-of-sight operation up to 50 kilometres.
The system functions reliably in temperatures ranging from –35°C to +55°C and has demonstrated stability over long deployment times.
Feedback
A significant part of RISE-1’s maturity stems from collaboration with operators in Lithuania and Ukraine. Arūnas Kumpis, a Lithuanian soldier with extensive field experience, describes the early system as far from complete. Many declared performance parameters did not initially align with real-world conditions, and the refinement process took nearly a year.
Kumpis conducted repeated tests in Lithuania and later around Kramatorsk, comparing RISE-1 with Ukrainian alternatives and providing detailed feedback after each iteration. His observations were integrated into successive hardware and firmware updates. Only after this cycle of field evaluation and manufacturer revision did the system begin delivering the performance now seen in combat environments. In Bakhmut, its use revealed critical insights into Russian electronic warfare systems, leading to another round of improvements.
“After each testing cycle we sent back very specific comments, and the system was adjusted accordingly,” Kumpis explains. “This iterative process ensured that the system worked exactly as intended and fully met the expectations.”
Ease of use
Ease of use was a deliberate design priority from the beginning. RISE-1 was built to meet NATO STANAG safety requirements for accidental-initiation prevention, requiring multiple steps to arm and activate the system. This architecture is precisely what allows infantry in Ukraine — who often lack specialized explosive-handling certification — to operate the equipment safely.
During a demonstration for the Ramanauskas-Vanagas military training center, one soldier – not a military engineering specialist – mastered the system in under ten minutes without guidance, highlighting how accessible the interface is even for first-time users.
Development
The ecosystem around RISE-1 continues to expand. A newly developed and already available dual-initiator unit—highly demanded by NATO militaries—introduces shocktube initiation capability, enabling both electrical and non-electrical initiation of explosives.
A map-based control interface—now in the late phase of development—will allow operators to geolocate initiators and arm and detonate them directly from an Android device.
The interface enables users to geolocate and control connected devices via multi-layered maps designed for both operational planning and execution. Features include blast-radius calculations and other relevant tools, precise device geolocation, and the ability to select, control, and initiate multiple devices directly from the map interface.
An additional benefit of the system is enhanced control of defensive barriers. By providing a clear, fully documented digital overview of all deployed devices, the interface supports rotation of controlling personnel and significantly improves situational awareness compared with traditional paper maps.
The team is also working on an ESAD (Electronic Safety and Arming Device) module designed specifically for drone-delivered munitions. This device will ensure that explosives detonate only at the correct standoff distance, an especially important requirement for shaped charges and claymore-type munitions.
Although RISE-1 is not the optimal choice for every task, its overall universality keeps attracting new users. Few initiation systems cover such a wide spectrum of applications while maintaining safety, long-range capability, and environmental resilience.
In conclusion, RISE-1 is a field-proven, adaptable platform used across Europe and Ukraine in both military and humanitarian contexts. Its safety architecture, long-range performance, environmental durability and continuous development based on operator feedback have made it a trusted tool for missions ranging from complex demolition tasks to frontline combat operations. The variety of use cases emerging from the field shows how flexible the system has become — and how valuable it is to units that need reliable explosive control in unpredictable and often extreme environments.