Ukrainian soldiers frequently shoot down their own drones
According to Business Insider, Ukrainian troops say they sometimes have no choice but to fire at any drone they see, disable all radio-frequency drones using electronic warfare equipment, or directly cut the fiber-optic cables of fiber-connected drones.
Nikita Rozhkov, Director of Business Development at Frontline Robotics, a Ukrainian drone and weapons manufacturer, stated, “Friendly fire incidents and the impact of our own electronic warfare systems are among the main reasons for frontline equipment losses.”
He noted that such losses are entirely understandable amid the chaos of war. “After all, if something resembling a drone is flying toward you within less than 100 meters, it might be best just to shoot it down.”
It remains unclear how many Ukrainian drones have been destroyed due to friendly fire, but soldiers report that large numbers of drones often fill the skies, causing panic and confusion: “Sometimes shooting down one’s own drone is accidental—especially given the intensity of electronic warfare; in other cases, it's intentional. During fierce combat, soldiers may instinctively jam all devices out of fear.”
Fiber-optic drones and ground unmanned vehicles also suffer from friendly fire
Previously, Ukrainian soldiers told Business Insider they also operate under a “better safe than sorry” principle by cutting the cables of fiber-optic drones. They use scissors, pocket knives, or even their bare hands to sever the cables. One soldier said every member of his squad carries scissors specifically for this purpose.
To avoid such issues, drone operators sometimes send messages to nearby units to coordinate safe flight times and directions, preventing their own drones from being shot down by friendly anti-aircraft fire.
For Ukraine’s ground unmanned vehicles, the issue is less severe. DevDroid, a manufacturer, says that while there have indeed been mistakes related to “friendly fire,” they believe Ukrainian soldiers would not intentionally fire at their own drones due to confusion. The company’s R&D director, Oleh Fedoryshyn, referred to these incidents as “small accidents.”
Losses are inevitable
Ukraine is improving battlefield coordination through its “Delta” system—a web-based combat management system that provides an integrated picture of the battlefield, including Russian target locations and how to coordinate Ukrainian forces’ movements. The system includes a dedicated layer for tracking and managing Ukrainian drones, which helps reduce instances of friendly fire.
However, drones are consumables, and their losses are unavoidable. Losses caused by friendly fire could actually increase demand for drone manufacturers’ products, as destroyed equipment must be replaced. Companies interviewed by Business Insider pointed out that growth potential in this sector is limited. Ukraine’s defense budget is exhausted, Russian jamming and interception equipment has led to massive drone losses, and some companies now provide drones to troops free of charge.
Ukrainian drones on the front lines
According to The Economist, the ratio of Russian military deaths to injuries is rising, as a significant portion—possibly up to 80%—of casualties are now caused by FPV drone attacks that track enemy soldiers and jeopardize medical evacuation efforts.
At the same time, Russian soldiers complain that new Ukrainian autonomous drones make no sound before diving. These drones use artificial intelligence and are controlled via fiber-optic cables to resist signal interference:
The drone strike zones extend approximately 20 kilometers along the front line and penetrate deep into Russian territory, having a greater impact on Russian operations than on Ukrainian ones.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865000213519372/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.