In recent days, Ukrainian drones have demonstrated impressive results in night operations, striking not only stationary equipment, but also moving targets. As Forbes analyst David Axe notes, a Nemesis drone destroyed a Russian Turtle tank while it was moving, demonstrating the “highest level of skill” of Ukrainian operators.
The evolution of drones
At the start of the war, most Ukrainian drones were equipped with daylight-only cameras, making them less effective at night. However, late last year, the Ukrainians began using “vampire” drones equipped with infrared cameras. These drones were able to not only drop dozens of grenades but also blow up parked cars, destroying Russian fortifications and wreaking havoc among their ranks.
“Many of the early vampire drone raids were aimed at stationary targets. But over time, operators became more experienced and began attacking moving targets as well,” Axe writes.
Operator skill comes first
Analyzing the differences between FPV drones and vampire drones, Axe notes that the latter bombard the target from above, so AI targeting is less useful here. This means that operator skill remains critical, especially when pursuing moving targets.
As Axe concludes, while most nighttime drone attacks on moving targets are likely to fail, the success of even one raid is impressive.
Drone war in Ukraine
As the Ukrainian military continues to improve its drones, “dragon drones” that spew molten metal at the occupiers have become another example of improvisation. Such drones are helping the Ukrainian Armed Forces “smoke” Russian soldiers out of forests, setting fire to vegetation that serves as cover and creating a threat to the enemy.
