In recent days, Ukrainian drones have demonstrated impressive results in night operations, striking not only stationary equipment, but also moving targets. According to Forbes analyst David Ax, a drone from the Nemesis group destroyed a Russian turtle tank while in motion, demonstrating the "highest level of skill" of Ukrainian operators.
The evolution of drones
At the beginning of the war, most Ukrainian drones were equipped with cameras for daylight only, which made them less effective at night. However, at the end of last year, Ukrainians started using "vampire" drones equipped with infrared cameras. These drones were able not only to drop dozens of grenades, but also to blow up parked cars, destroying the fortifications of Russian troops and creating chaos in their ranks.
“Many of the early vampire drone raids were directed at stationary targets. But over time, the operators became more experienced and began to attack moving targets as well," - writes Aks.
The skill of the operators is in the first place
Analyzing the differences between FPV drones and vampire drones, Ax points out that the latter bomb the target from above, so AI targeting is less useful here. This means that operator skill remains critical, especially when pursuing moving targets.
As Ax 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
While the Ukrainian military continues to improve its drones, the "dragon drones" that spew molten metal at invaders have become another example of improvisation. Such drones help the Armed Forces of Ukraine to “smoke out” Russian soldiers from forest areas, setting fire to the vegetation that serves as a shelter and creating a threat to the enemy.
