Currently, there are four main differences in the use of UAVs by the Russians compared to the situation that existed before. These are the use of drones with night vision cameras, the use of initial artificial intelligence to guide them to targets, the use of antennas that allow UAV pilots to be a kilometer away from ground stations and not come under return fire, and the use of analog communications. This was reported in an exclusive commentary to UNN by the commander of the Armed Forces aerial reconnaissance unit Robert Brovdi (call sign "Magyar").
"The first is the enemy's dominance in the use of fpv drones with thermal imaging cameras, the use of fpv drones at night. Given the active activity of electronic intelligence, we can see everything and interact with it to detect/destroy it, and we understand the concentration of those means, unlike the general situation along the front line on our side," noted Magyar.
The second difference, he said, is that the enemy is trying to use more technological solutions to homing drones on targets.
"At the moment, it's machine vision, the initial stage of artificial intelligence, which allows the drone, after being brought to a striking position by the pilot, after entering a target, for example, to automatically aim at the target and pursue it without the pilot's help. And this already raises quite alarming signals. After all, such a drone can be operated by a less trained person, unlike us, where we are working to train long-term and thoroughly high-quality fpv pilots who will have to hit targets and pursue them to the end," explained Magyar.
He added that examples of the use of machine vision are recorded and reported to the command
The third difference is the enemy's use of ground station complexes remote from pilots. In particular, to achieve the efficiency of fpv drones at the appropriate range, the Russians use ground stations - amplifying antennas, just like the Ukrainian military. However, in the classic version, these antennas are located in close proximity to the pilots.
"The enemy is now using stations that can be a kilometer away from the crew, which means that when counter-battery activities are carried out against the detected crew, the equipment is hit, not the pilots themselves, who are far away from the equipment, not complex equipment, which facilitates the use of fpv drones," Magyar noted.
The fourth is open analog communication channels, which the enemy is now beginning to use. We are talking about the massive installation of additional communication equipment on the drone, the so-called scramblers, which destroy the image and, as a result of UAV interception, complicate the drone's flight path in order to destroy it.
According to him, the Armed Forces of Ukraine need to immediately expand and improve the use of electronic intelligence. Magyar added that the training, which allows detecting enemy UAVs and intercepting them, does not last long - two to three days, and anyone can be engaged in monitoring, detection, etc.
"And these are the reference points that need to be shouted about, reminding everyone involved that it is impossible to stay in one place, to stand in one place. It is necessary to improve electronic intelligence means, to spread them along the entire strip and to look for solutions to circumvent what the enemy is doing constantly and, obviously, doing it well, since we are recording so many differences in one area on the left bank bridgehead," Magyar emphasized.
He added that his unit had detected 1,912 enemy drones, of which it had destroyed 1,465, or 76.6%, during the entire period up to the time of the comment.
Recall
"Magyar announced a UAH 50 million fundraiser to purchase 50 REW systems, evacuation equipment for various units of the Armed Forces, and attack drones.