Drones are the iconic technology of the war in Ukraine. Some miniature aircraft models have been used in the war. The first days of the warbut one an incredible range Drones have now evolved. They come in different types, sizes and levels of sophistication. They are used for many roles including short and long range attack, reconnaissance, electronic disruption, communications relay and supply.
Many are converted consumer drones, such as the low-cost drone Chinese Designs of DJI They are sold in electronics stores. These drones are modified for combat needs and are used in hundreds every day in Ukraine.
Before the war, military aircraft were very expensive and the armed forces could deploy very few of them. Drones have completely changed this situation, significantly increasing the number of aerial systems.
Ukraine now manufactures more than 3,000 first person view (or FPV drones) each day (this is not a typo). These allow an operator to see the drone’s camera in real time.
A new multinational drone coalitionof which Australia is a part, plans to deliver one million. These devices can be assembled from commercially available digital electronics in small workshops or at home.
Larger drones are manufactured in purpose-built factories, but production rates remain impressive compared to modern military aircraft. The United States manufactures about 150 F-35 jets fighters per yearRussia’s new manufacturing plant Shahed 136 Long-range attack drones will produce 6,000 per year.
Defense against drones
Wars involve actions and reactions, such as each side fights to gain an advantage. The massive use of drones has sparked a rush to implement a suitable range of anti-drone systems.
Generally speaking, these systems fall into two types: those used for homeland defense and those intended to protect soldiers on the battlefield.
For homeland defense, the goal is to detect attacking drones, track them, and attempt to destroy them when they come within range. The Russians often fire 80 to 100 Shahed drones at Ukrainian cities each night, usually in waves. These drones are noisy, low-flying, and slow.
Ukraine has developed an ingenious system to detect Shahed drones. Two engineers working in a garage have created a sound detection system using consumer cell phones mounted on poles that can hear passing drones.
Data from a network of 9,500 pole-mounted phone sensors is then relayed to a central command post, where it is merged together to give a complete picture of what is happening in the airspace of all of Ukraine. Air defenses with guns or missiles are then activated and moved as needed to shoot at the passing Shahed drones.
Ukrainian air defenses usually destroy about 80% attacking drones.
Drones on the battlefield
Drone defense on the battlefield is different. Here, drones are small and silent, and most importantly, they are not autonomous. Each drone must be operator-driven who watches the video transmitted by the drone to spot enemy forces. The goal of counter-drone efforts is primarily to evade detection and only attempt to destroy drones if there is no other option.
Most vehicles on the battlefield have sensors to detect a drone’s communication transmission links when it is nearby. The vehicles can then speed up to make it harder for slow drones to attack, or stop and hide under overhead cover, such as trees or building canopies.
Battlefield vehicles can also carry electronic systems able to jam the drone’s communications transmission links or the drone’s GPS satellite navigation system, rendering the drones ineffective.
First-person drones can also track and attack individual soldiers. When faced with them, soldiers stop moving, hide in trenches, and try to blend into the background.
Ukrainians also use a wide range of range of lure systems such as wooden tanks and supply vehicles to distract Russian drone operators.
In another approach, the Russians are building large wire cages around their tanks. The small drones in first-person view only carry small warheads, which to explode safely in the mesh, not on the tank itself.
The fight goes on
Drone manufacturers are now focusing on anti-drone measures. Shahed drones are becoming quieter, receiving coatings that make them harder to detect by radar, and are being painted in colors that are hard to see.
Drones, in general, are becoming smaller, more sophisticated, and cheaper. The number of drones in the air at any given time continues to increase, making it possible to form large formations of drones of different types that support each other. Some drones in a formation can act as decoys to attract defensive systems, and others can attempt to jam them, allowing at least some of the attack drones to survive and penetrate the defenses.
One of the major recent changes is the push to make drones more autonomous. Since Russia deployed GPS jamming systems, Ukraine has developed digital scene matching technology allowing its long-range attack drones to find their targets even without GPS.
For battlefield drones, both sides have drones that incorporate artificial intelligence capable of recognizing targets and, after verification by a human operatorattack autonomously. Although the target detection software is unreliable and still requires operator intervention, these drones are much less vulnerable to jamming of communications transmission links or GPS.
New defense systems are also emerging. Some first-person drones are now being used like fighter jets to physically attack enemy drones in flight.
The laser systems currently being tested can dazzle a drone video camera, preventing the drone operator from seeing possible targets. Some newer lasers can even cause physical harm to drones a few kilometers from the laser.
The interaction between drones and countermeasures against drones will continue as long as the war.