Ukraine's innovative drone defenses tackle Russian threat
Since September 2022, the Russians have launched over 7,000 Shahed kamikaze drones into Ukrainian territories. These unmanned aerial vehicles often pose a threat to energy infrastructure. Ukrainians are seeking new ways to defend against them without relying on anti-aircraft missiles.
17 October 2024 10:46
In the last two months, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of drones launched. In August, Ukrainian air forces recorded 789 drones and in September – 1,339, according to a report by the portal "Ekonomichna Pravda." Previously, these numbers varied from 300 to 600 drones monthly.
Ukrainian interceptor drones have been deployed this summer, regularly shooting down Russian UAVs. This solution is a key defense element, especially given the increasing number of attacks. FPV drones in this role are characterized by higher speeds and stronger batteries, enabling operations over greater distances.
"Several teams working on drone development are adapting this solution to combat Shaheds. For this purpose, Ukrainian FPV drones must become even faster and be equipped with night vision cameras," the portal reports.
Drones to combat drones
The co-founder of one of Ukraine's leading drone manufacturing companies, who preferred to remain anonymous, reported that their equipment reached up to 325 km/h, nearly double the cruising speed of a Shahed. This allows for a quick response. The company plans to test its UAVs in October. "The engineers have not yet utilized all the capabilities of FPV-type machines," he emphasized in a conversation with "Ekonomichna Pravda."
Properly deploying air defense systems is key to effectively combating kamikaze drones. Monitoring Ukraine's airspace using radio stations would be difficult, so Ukrainians are resorting to alternative methods, including acoustic sensors. These sensors are designed to detect the sound of Shahed drones and provide real-time location information on targets.
However, acoustic sensors are not the only technology Ukraine is relying on. Electronic warfare systems play an essential role. They disrupt the stability of drones and cause them to "get lost" in flight. As a result, one of the Ukrainian defense industry's priorities is producing electronic warfare systems.
