Ukrainian drones revolution in cleaning minefields
We regularly write about drones and their wide range of applications on the Ukrainian front. The Ukrainians constantly surprise us with their resourcefulness and engineering prowess. This time, using only a drone, a rope, and a hook dragging on the ground, they have created a very effective tool for sappers.
"Traditional" uses of drones on the battlefield – through kamikaze attacks, reconnaissance, and observation – are insufficient. They leverage the advantages of technology to deliver humanitarian aid or even send holiday packages to the Russians.
A video appeared on the internet showing another drone application. Using a drone, a rope, and a hook, Ukrainians have constructed an ideal tool for demining areas.
A drone from the Kara-Dag National Guard brigade removes wire triggers of mines using a rope and a hook... - reads a post on platform X.
Ukrainians have long been trying to use unmanned systems to remove mines, and such a creative solution is one of the manifestations of the resourcefulness of Ukrainian soldiers, who can at least partially reduce the threat from minefields - reads another post.
Mined areas in Ukraine
The Armed Forces of Ukraine will need drones and other machines and devices for sappers. The problem of Russian mines in Ukraine is enormous. And that's just part of the threat. The territory of our eastern neighbour is regularly bombarded. The number of unexploded ordinances and duds scattered across the country is difficult to estimate.
According to the declarations of the authorities in Kyiv, about 174,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory potentially need demining. This is almost one-third of its entire area. (...) According to estimates from the World Bank, the total cost of demining Ukraine is nearly 38 billion dollars – reports the Center for Eastern Studies.
Meanwhile, the Globsec report states that removing explosives at today's levels of effort and speed will take up to 757 years. Currently, no one in Ukraine has time to worry about this problem. A regular war is ongoing, and demining the area is only done as needed.
