Ukrainian servicemen from the «Ghost of Khortytsia» unmanned systems battalion of the 15th National Guard Brigade destroyed Russian fiber-optic drone pilots whose location was given away by a cluster of wires.
Ukrainian servicemen from the «Ghost of Khortytsia» unmanned systems battalion of the 15th National Guard Brigade destroyed Russian fiber-optic drone pilots whose location was given away by a cluster of wires.
«Of course, fiber optics cannot be suppressed by electronic warfare, but no one forbade using it to track the location of enemy FPV operators and „visit them“», — the NGU commented on this incident on its social networks.
As reported by «Militarnyi», Ukrainian pilots of the 15th brigade «Kara-Dag» using a reconnaissance copter saw a cluster of thin fiber-optic wires from enemy FPV drones, which gave glare in the sunlight. This allowed them to detect a drone control station in one of the abandoned buildings where enemy operators were located.
It is noted that 5 Russian UAV pilots were destroyed by Ukrainian FPV strike drones and by means of drop-offs. Despite the advantages of fiber-optic drones, in particular, complete resistance to electronic warfare, this also shows the disadvantages of using this type of weapon.
Of course, fiber optics cannot be suppressed by electronic warfare, but no one forbade using it to track the location of enemy FPV operators and «visit them.»
— NSU (@ng_ukraine) February 17, 2025
📹: BBps «Ghost of Khortytsia» 15th Brigade of the National Guard. pic.twitter.com/CQTcG8qVpX
«Unlike strike drones with traditional communication systems, pilots of fiber-optic drones take great risks by unmasking themselves with wires and must frequently change positions to protect themselves», — Militarnyi notes.
Previously, dev.ua visited the testing ground together with the company 3DTech, which is one of the Ukrainian manufacturers of fiber-optic drones.
«Fiber optics require more careful work from the pilot. You can’t lay sharp corners. You have to understand that when the side tilts, the optics can get tangled. From our own experience, we can say that the further you move the drone away from you, the greater its maneuverability,» said 3D Tech combat pilot Ilya.
Another drawback of fiber optic drones is that they don’t have a wire length indicator. 3D Tech says that if the drone is perfectly tuned, experienced pilots can feel a minimal twitch in the drone when the last 100 m of the coil remains.
Despite these disadvantages, fiber-optic drones have more advantages, such as immunity to electronic warfare, smooth control, and a high-quality, clear image for the operator.
