Magyar Birds Fiber-Optic Drone Hits Russian Tank 42 Kilometers From Front Line

A fiber-optic-controlled FPV drone operated by Ukraine’s 414th Strike UAV Brigade, known as Magyar Birds, struck Russian armored vehicles at a record distance of 42 kilometers from the front line.

Video of the strike was published on the YouTube channel of the brigade’s commander.

According to the footage, an operator guided the drone into a hangar that was later confirmed to contain four Russian armored vehicles — two infantry fighting vehicles, a tank, and an armored recovery vehicle.

Once inside, the drone maneuvered to identify the most valuable target and ultimately struck the tank, hitting its driver’s hatch.

A second drone was later launched to assess the damage and conduct a follow-up strike.

Fiber-optic drones present a growing challenge to Russian forces, as they can operate deep behind the front lines while remaining undetectable to electronic surveillance and jamming systems.

The fiber-optic connection ensures a stable feed from the drone’s optical module, even in complex terrain or urban environments.

Development of fiber optics in Ukraine

In late April, Ukrainian officials emphasized the need to expand the development and deployment of fiber-optic drones capable of striking targets over 20 kilometers away to maintain parity with Russian forces.

On April 1, more than 15 Ukrainian drone manufacturers tested UAVs along obstacle-filled routes exceeding 20 kilometers to simulate long-range targeting scenarios.

Results from the trials show significant progress. While earlier models had an effective range of just 5 to 10 kilometers, Ukrainian engineers are now demonstrating platforms capable of hitting targets at more than twice that distance.

These advances enable deep strikes that were previously only possible with radio-controlled FPV drones.