Ukrainian "dragon drone" sparks Russian imitation in ongoing conflict

Recently, a recording circulated on social media showing the use of a completely new construction developed by Ukrainians—the "dragon drone." The unmanned aerial vehicle "dousing" enemies with a fiery rain has inspired the Russians, who now want similar weapons. The first effects of this can already be seen.

The war in Ukraine has shown that unmanned aerial vehicles are key elements for gaining an advantage on the modern battlefield. Thanks to them, aerial reconnaissance can be conducted at a low financial cost, which in turn allows for locating enemy positions and directing artillery fire at them.

Drones are also used for kamikaze attacks. With bomblets of cluster munitions or PG-7LV grenades mounted on them, they can be used to destroy even heavily armoured units. The last few months of the conflict have also shown that drones are versatile tools that can shoot down other drones. It's also worth mentioning some specific constructions, like the drone with an attached katana, recently demonstrated by Ukrainians.

The development of these popular tools has led to another weapon appearing on the frontline, aimed at gaining an advantage. Ukrainians from the 108th Independent Land Defence Brigade "No Chance" have recently shown how they found a use for drones. They transformed a flying unmanned vehicle into a flamethrower.

The action of the Ukrainian "dragon drone" could be admired in a short video published on social media. It shows the drone hovering over a small forest and "dousing" hidden enemies with streams of fire. At first glance, it seems that the drone is at a relatively high altitude, which makes it difficult to shoot down while also striking opponents over a large area.

The Russians decided that they want the same weapon in their arsenal. The first tests of the new construction are already underway – we read on the @clashreport profile on the X platform, which publishes a video showing the Russian army with their new invention. The "dragon drone" visible in the film uses a thermite tank. When ignited, the temperature exceeds even 2,400 degrees Celsius. It cannot be excluded that Ukrainians use a similar mixture in their construction.

So far, the Russians have not confirmed the use of "dragon drones" in combat conditions. However, it is worth noting the limitations of this type of device, which are visible in the Russian army's video. The fiery rain falling from the drone is very susceptible to wind – the drone pilot must, therefore, precisely guide the flight and choose the flight path accurately, keeping in mind that drones usually have small batteries that allow for relatively short flights – most often lasting about fifteen minutes.