Russian servicemen stationed in the special military operation zone have started to use first-person view (FPV) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), fitted with unique radio communication relay systems, Andrei Ivanov, developer of the Ovod (Gadfly) kamikaze drone "Gadfly", told Sputnik.
Made in the Russian city of Tula, such a system allows a drone operator to work from both open and closed positions at an unlimited range and at any frequencies, according to Ivanov. He added that the system is compatible with any ground equipment.
On the whole, radio relay systems aim to help FPV drones fly over very rough terrain, when there is a high probability of losing direct vision between an UAV and an operator.
An array of Russian FPV drones equipped with such systems include:
Ovod, a cutting-edge UAV designed to transport fragmentation and high-explosive fragmentation ammunition to extremely hazardous areas at the front line.
Upyr (a prototype of vampire), an advanced drone, which can carry RPG-7 mortar rockets as well as anti-tank hand grenades.
Dzhoker (Joker), specially designed to “wait” for at least a month so that it can be remotely activated when in an ambush.
UAVs, manufactured in Siberia’s Tyumen region and equipped with a powerful battery that helps increase their flight by at least 10 km (6 miles).
Kub (Cube), developed by Russian defense company Zala Aero, a subsidiary of the world famous Kalashnikov Group, is not an FPV drone but is also fitted with a radio relay system. Kub can deliver a variety of weapon payloads with high precision and may be used as a kamikaze drone or an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system. Newsweek referred to Kub as Russia’s “formidable nightmare for the enemy."
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu earlier stressed that one of Russia’s Armed Forces' main efforts last year was to disrupt Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive.
This task was accomplished, Shoigu stressed, singling out drones as playing an indispensable role. In the same vein, The Foreign Affairs news outlet admitted that Ukraine "is losing the drone war."