Ukraine relies heavily on drones in its defense against Russia's aggressive war. The Ukrainian military now has a new drone that they describe as a serious breakthrough in the development of unmanned aircraft used for military purposes.
With the Internet, not radio communication
The drone is named Nemesis - it is named after the ancient Greek goddess of retribution. It has a range of up to 30 kilometers and can safely operate under the cover of night. Using an infrared camera, drone operators can detect targets behind enemy lines and strike them unnoticed.
Another very important thing about the new drone - it does not rely on radio communication, but on a satellite internet connection provided by Elon Musk's Starlink satellites. "The advantage is that the Russians can't jam this connection for now," explains drone operator Vada. "I hope it stays that way."
This also means that drone pilots can control them from literally anywhere, as long as they have a good internet connection, explains Vada. So a pilot could be in Kiev or Lviv and control a drone that's striking the front in eastern Ukraine.
Pilots are safe - far from the front
The teams on the ground are close to the front line. They prepare the drones, arm them after each mission - from morning to night. But the pilots are far from the battlefield. The command center looks like a dorm room - because it is. During the day, young men play video games on their computers in their quarters, and at night they run a high-tech military operation. They work in pairs, says Konungr, who is a drone pilot. He also has a navigator with him. “The main coordination is in the hands of the navigator. He maintains contact with the other teams, while the pilot focuses on controlling and precisely hitting the target,” the man explains.
On the screen far from the front, the "dragon's teeth" anti-tank fortifications look like small dots. In the target area, the drone drops anti-tank mines - that's their mission now. “If this is an area the Russians are trying to break through, several such missions (to mine the area) can leave the road completely blocked by burned-out enemy vehicles,” says Konungr.
War is changing
The drone pilot claims that this method is much safer than the old "vampire" drones, which are controlled directly from the trenches. The reason is that with the new drone, the pilots are safe. With other models, they are always under threat. “If the Russians detect their exact location, they will fire at them with everything they have. With “Nemesis” we are much more protected”.
Ukrainian technologies are already turning dormitories far from the front into command centers — and gamers, IT specialists and engineers — into key figures in the country's military machine.
Author: Max Zander