Russia has reportedly deployed a new drone system in Ukraine, marking the first use of a dedicated drone carrier to deliver First-Person View (FPV) kamikaze drones behind enemy lines. This innovative approach involves using a larger “mothership” drone to transport and launch smaller FPV kamikaze drones. The carrier drone is versatile, serving as a transporter, a communication relay, and a reconnaissance tool. By using this system, Russian forces can extend the range of FPV drones, which typically have a limited battery life, allowing them to strike targets deeper into Ukrainian territory.
On September 16, Russian military blogger Yuri Podolyaka revealed that Russian forces had employed this new drone system to strike a Ukrainian unit located 40 kilometers behind the front lines. The carrier drone was used for visual surveillance and video relay, guiding the FPV drones to their targets. This event marks the first time such a system has been documented during the ongoing conflict.
Russian forces, for the first time, have successfully deployed a ‘drone carrier’ to deliver FPV drones deep behind Ukrainian defenses.
According to reports from Ukrainian sources, a reusable ‘mothership’ UAV was used to launch FPV kamikaze drones that targeted a Ukrainian unit approximately 40 kilometers behind the front lines.
— EurAsian Times (@THEEURASIATIMES), September 17, 2024
In addition to this new deployment, Russian forces have reportedly been developing advanced tactics for drone-on-drone combat. Some Russian drones are now equipped with nails designed to damage enemy UAVs’ rotors, which could bring them down without needing a direct collision.
Drone-on-drone combat, though still relatively uncommon, is becoming more frequent in the Ukrainian conflict. Both sides are constantly evolving their strategies to disable or destroy enemy drones, giving rise to a new form of aerial warfare. Ukrainian forces, for instance, have experimented with using long threads and small weights to tangle enemy drone rotors, even capturing some as trophies.