Ukraine's Drone War Spills Over onto Ground
As the conflict in Ukraine rages on, Moscow has unleashed an increasing number of aerial drones to disrupt troop movements and attack enemy positions. But the Ukrainians are not taking a backseat; they're also employing terrestrial drones - unmanned ground vehicles designed for logistics and rescue missions.
These mobile drones, whether wheeled or tracked, have become essential in resupplying troops and evacuating wounded soldiers from the front line to safer areas. According to Kate Bondar, a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, logistical missions account for 60-70% of ground drone activities. The process involves transporting the drones close to the combat zone using pickup trucks before letting them reach the position of troops in need.
The development and deployment of these ground drones were made possible largely through SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, which allows for control from up to 100 kilometers away. However, their usage comes with its drawbacks. "Most of these systems have batteries," Bondar notes, "and batteries emit heat - that's how they get detected." This makes them a prime target for aerial drones, particularly given their slower speed.
Another challenge facing ground drones is their high production cost compared to FPV (first-person view) drones used by Russia and Ukraine. However, unlike aerial drones, terrestrial ones offer greater resilience to jamming. When an aerial drone falls due to jamming, it crashes to the ground; on the other hand, if communication with a ground drone is interrupted, the vehicle can simply wait before resuming its route once contact is restored.
The use of these mobile drones highlights the evolving nature of Ukraine's conflict and Moscow's increasingly sophisticated tactics. As both sides continue to innovate and adapt, it remains to be seen whether this technological advantage will prove decisive in determining the outcome of the war.
As the conflict in Ukraine rages on, Moscow has unleashed an increasing number of aerial drones to disrupt troop movements and attack enemy positions. But the Ukrainians are not taking a backseat; they're also employing terrestrial drones - unmanned ground vehicles designed for logistics and rescue missions.
These mobile drones, whether wheeled or tracked, have become essential in resupplying troops and evacuating wounded soldiers from the front line to safer areas. According to Kate Bondar, a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, logistical missions account for 60-70% of ground drone activities. The process involves transporting the drones close to the combat zone using pickup trucks before letting them reach the position of troops in need.
The development and deployment of these ground drones were made possible largely through SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, which allows for control from up to 100 kilometers away. However, their usage comes with its drawbacks. "Most of these systems have batteries," Bondar notes, "and batteries emit heat - that's how they get detected." This makes them a prime target for aerial drones, particularly given their slower speed.
Another challenge facing ground drones is their high production cost compared to FPV (first-person view) drones used by Russia and Ukraine. However, unlike aerial drones, terrestrial ones offer greater resilience to jamming. When an aerial drone falls due to jamming, it crashes to the ground; on the other hand, if communication with a ground drone is interrupted, the vehicle can simply wait before resuming its route once contact is restored.
The use of these mobile drones highlights the evolving nature of Ukraine's conflict and Moscow's increasingly sophisticated tactics. As both sides continue to innovate and adapt, it remains to be seen whether this technological advantage will prove decisive in determining the outcome of the war.
! They're basically using these mobile drones to keep up with Russia's aerial gameplan, but they come with some major caveats. I mean, have you seen how expensive those things are? Like, compared to those FPV drones Russia and Ukraine are using, it's like night and day 
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. It's crazy how Ukraine and Russia are always pushing each other to innovate and adapt in this conflict. Will it give them a decisive edge? Only time will tell 
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THEY'RE ALREADY USES THEM FOR LOGISTICS AND RESCUE MISSIONS, NOW WE GOT AIRBORNE AND GROUND DRONES FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE. IT'S LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A MOVIE! 
BUT SERIOUSLY, CAN'T WE JUST HAVE A PEACEFUL DISCUSS?! 
THESE DRONES ARE GETTING DETECTED ALL THE TIME BECAUSE THEY EMIT HEAT... WHO KNEW?! 
AND NOW WE GOT TO DEAL WITH THESE HIGH PRODUCTION COST THINGS. IT'S LIKE, CAN'T WE JUST FIND A WAY TO MAKE THEM MORE AFFORDABLE?! 
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. Not to mention the risk of jamming and whatnot. I'm not convinced this is gonna be a game-changer in Ukraine's conflict 
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. What happens when they get hacked or compromised? We're playing with fire here 
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that's wild. probs gonna be super useful in the war, but there are some downsides too... batteries get hot and can get jammed by aerial drones 
. But at the same time, I get why they're vulnerable to jamming - it's like trying to tune into a bad radio station 
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. It's wild how tech can be both amazing and super complicated at the same time 
Wouldn't that be awesome?
it's like a real-life video game where ukraine & russia are playin each other out