The Russians appear to be using an invulnerable cable-optic drone that could solve the big problem facing operators in this war.

• Russia’s latest drones appear to be guided by fiber-optic cables to prevent jamming and electronic warfare.

• The technology solves one of the more common problems of war, but it has its drawbacks.

• Various drone companies are already working on fiber optic drones.

Some of the newer Russian drones appear to have modifications that could help solve a critical problem for operators in this war.

The drone appears to be guided by fiber optic cables that make the unmanned system immune to jamming. The introduction of these drones into combat will mark the next stage in the drone arms race, in which both sides are quickly adapting to new challenges.

Evidence that Russia was using fiber-optic drones first emerged in March, when Ukraine captured one prototype. But it wasn’t until this month that videos showing the system allegedly using fiber optic cables began to emerge.

Some of the combat footage, which reportedly shows an attack involving the drone on Ukrainian forces, was shared via open source intelligence accounts on social media.

One of the clearest examples shows the drone attack on the Ukrainian BTR-4 reconnaissance vehicle in Giri, a village in Kursk.

The Russian military’s Telegram channel Siberian Army shared a video last week, also writing that a first-person view drone with fiber optic cables has been used in the Kursk region amid the invasion of Ukraine. The account writes that the drone seen in the footage “is controlled via fiber optic cable, which ensures high accuracy and resistance to electronic warfare.”

And United24, a program run by the Ukrainian government that crowdfunds to develop and build drones for war, said Wednesday in a media report that Russia has begun using drones guided by optical fibers in Kursk, marking “the first known use of such weapons in combat. .”

Business Insider cannot independently verify or claim that these fiber-optic cable-connected drones are in use.

The appeal of using fiber optics to guide unmanned aerial vehicles is directly related to the problem it purports to solve; with the spread of electronic warfare and radio signal jamming on the battlefield, the need to maintain a stable connection with the operator is the key to ensure the drone reaches the target.

When FPV drones fly away from the launcher, they use fiber optic cables.

The advantage, Samuel Bennett, an expert on drones and Russian military weapons development, explains, is that fiber optic cables maintain a stable connection, making drones immune to electronic warfare, such as the radio jammers found in much of Ukraine and Russia. military vehicles. The result is high-quality video transmission and is resistant to EW.

These adaptations can have a large effect, but they will not be without problems. It’s unclear how or if fiber-optic drones will reach mass production, although several foreign companies have been working hard on drones using rolls of fiber-optic cable.

The biggest problem is how the cables can prohibit the drone’s mobility, possibly limiting its use to certain missions and locations to prevent collisions or cables becoming tangled or damaged.

In addition, the distance from the target to the operator must be considered, because the cable limits the distance the drone can fly.

That said, fiber optic drones can be useful in certain situations, such as in environments with strong radio jams, and can complement the use of radio-dependent unmanned systems.

Regardless, the introduction of this new technology represents another change in the way Russia and Ukraine develop and use drones on the battlefield. Both sides have engaged in a drone arms race, adapting their unmanned systems to respond to various problems and copying changes made by their opponents to gain an edge or at least maintain parity.

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