Small Quadcopters Rule The Battlefield In Ukraine — Which Makes Their Chinese Manufacturers Very Unhappy

Forbes ^ | Apr 29, 2022,07:59am EDT | David Hambling

[Zhang Fei]

At its simplest, a small drone is an eye in the sky, giving what every commander has wanted for centuries: a view of what is happening on the other side of the hill, or in the middle of the forest, or just down the next street, without having to send troops. Aerial reconnaissance was previously confined to higher levels of command and only gradually filtered down the chain; now every squad leader can have a folding Mavic Mini 2 small enough to fit into a cargo pocket but able to send back HD video from three miles away for half an hour.

This is a transformational capability. One video shows a Ukrainian mortar team equipped with a quadcopter. The mortar, a simple, low-tech device for lobbing bombs in the general direction of enemy positions becomes vastly more lethal when the drone operator can find the enemy, then direct mortar fire on to their location, reporting on the fall of every shot so it can be adjusted on the target. This control means that mortars can even destroy tanks with direct hits, rare in previous conflicts.

Ukrainian military drone operator Oleh Sobchenko, interviewed by Euromaidan Press, confirms that volunteer drone operators with consumer drones are doing much of the target location and fire direction for Ukrainian artillery. Although Ukraine has some military-grade spotter drones, including locally made Fury, Spectator and Stork models, there are not enough to go around, but there are thousands of DJI and other quadcopters. Vast numbers of drone videos show Ukrainian artillery carrying out highly accurate strikes on Russian forces.

Other drone videos show Russian tanks hit by Javelins and other anti-tank weapons. It seems highly likely that drones play a key role, especially in urban areas where drones can find vehicles sheltering behind buildings

[21twelve]

I figured it was another currency just based on the design of the screen grab. However, they DO offer drones in the $14,000 USD range as well.

I didn’t investigate, but there are “refurbished” drones on Ebay for cheap too!

[JustaTech]

The real trick is (or will be soon probably) carrying a laser designator on the drone, and registering the laser aiming into the FPV display of the operator. That way one drone combined with any suitable missiles coming over the hill with semi-active seekers, can take out one armored target after another.

[tlozo]

Small Quadcopters Rule The Battlefield In Ukraine — Which Makes Their Chinese Manufacturers Very Unhappy

Ukrainians are also using larger domestic manufactured/commercial drones to drop modified anti-tank grenades on top of Russian vehicles.

Soviet era anti-tank grenades with added fins, that are dropped vertically on Russian vehicles

[FreedomPoster]

$440 at Costco for a similar, if not identical, model.

https://www.costco.com/.product.100679649.html

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[Enterprise]

I'll take a guess here. First, mass produced Chinese drones are killing Russians. And the Chinese did NOT anticipate this possibility. Second, while the drones were originally produced ostensibly for fun and recreation, their conversion to a weapon of war may make them subject to regulation as military battlefield hardware, thus restricting who can buy them.

As the article concluded though, the genie is out of the bottle, and nothing is going to stop the future of drone warfare. Militaries were slow to adapt to the machine gun and the tank. This is the modern challenge of something new.

[Chad_the_Impaler]

It is in the second and third paragraphs of the article (not the excerpt).

[buwaya]

As far as the US is concerned, Javelin missles and their ilk are more of a last-ditch defense of the infantry. The bulk of the work of destroying enemy armor is supposed to be done by other arms, principally the USAF and Army helicopters artillery and tanks.

[RoosterRedux]

At least one manufacturer regrets its use for “destructive purposes”.

Yeah...I bet.;-)

[buwaya]

I can think of vastly more significant cost savings to which you can devote your emotional outpourings (and activism!).

As wars go this one is extremely cheap. As Federal spending goes this is a rounding error.

[FLT-bird]

I could easily see drones like this being used to deliver packages. I’ve seen a few examples but I mean by the ten of millions....an everyday occurrence for everyone.

[Wonder Warthog]

And the “add-on” fins on the anti-tank grenades are 3D printed from cheap plastic.

[Hot Tabasco]

The $100-150 kind go a kilometer, tops, and may not have the loiter time at that distance.

My Hubsan Zino has a 2 mile range and approx. 20 minutes of flight time. Approx. $500

[FLT-bird]

Somebody could make good money by coming up with an encryption system that would harden cheap commercial drones against jamming and against tracking so their controllers could not be found. Once that hurdle has been overcome, every military in the world will want zillions of them.

[Theophilus]

encryption does not about evading detection and location.

[Hot Tabasco]

DJI say their drones

DJI is a China state backed company, so of course they don't want them used against the Russians.,

I think most of the drones on the market today are made by Chinese companies, shipped from China to Amazon distribution centers. Turns out the Amazon merchant I purchased my Hubsan drone is JYZdrone and they're located in Hong Kong. That's why it took over a month for me to receive it after I ordered it.

[Chainmail]

I have a Mavic 2 and it has been easy to use, reliable and transmits exceptionally clear video. I was unhappy to find out that it was Chinese-made when I got it partially because I supported Trump's campaign against sending China more money and partially because it is so high-quality and capable; something we have watched happen while not developing similar low-cost drones.

It has been invaluable for air photography and exploration and I am even working on a very light pellet gun package to deal with raccoons and squirrels that insist on carving out homes in our neighborhood's roofs and attics.

[DownInFlames]

Why isn’t law enforcement using these en mass? Even an octocopter would give sufficient time in the air for patrolling precincts. The quality of cameras in todays technology is outstanding.

[DownInFlames]

My response., PULL!

[David Chase]

That’s the exact one I have. Still learning how to fly it. Had to wait until winter was finished here.

[FLT-bird]

OK, Gotta find a way to harden them against jamming and giving away the controller’s location...whether it be some clever software or a piece of hardware that can be added to the quadcopter.