The Main Directorate of Defense Innovations of the Ministry of Defence demonstrated Ukrainian fiber-optic FPV drones for representatives of the commands of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.

As part of the programs to introduce innovations and develop the army of the future, the agency conducted a presentation test of FPV drones that use fiber optic cable for control instead of traditional radio communication modules.

A number of domestic manufacturers presented more than a dozen models of drones, some of which are capable of carrying a warhead or other payload weighing up to 3 kilograms.

The demonstration flights were watched by military UAV operators, potential users of the latest technology on the battlefield.

“The enemy continues to build up its capabilities to use fiber-optic drone control technologies, so it is imperative to neutralize its advantages in this segment. Domestic manufacturers demonstrate their readiness to quickly adapt to the current challenges of war and implement the latest developments. Today, we can see the successful operation of the equipment and its effectiveness, and, no less importantly, the readiness to quickly scale these technologies to meet the needs of the army,” said Lieutenant Colonel Yevhen Tkachenko, Head of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Department of the Defence Ministry’s Chief Innovation Directorate.

The UAV operators positively assessed the tactical and technical characteristics of the drones confirmed during the demonstration flights and expressed interest in supplying such equipment for the needs of the units.

“Although the technology is not new, it is extremely effective in today’s warfare and active electronic warfare. Despite certain peculiarities of using this type of drones, they are indispensable for the successful completion of certain special tasks. We expect that they will help us to significantly increase the efficiency of combat missions,” said Ihor Yu, external pilot and UAV operator of one of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s units.

According to Yevhen Tkachenko, a number of the equipment presented at the show is already at the final stage of codification and will be supplied to the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the near future.

Ukrainian fiber optic drones

Last month, Militarnyi visited the Demo Day of the DRONARIUM team, which demonstrated its own fiber optic communication system for drones.

The system consists of a media converter, a flight controller, and a special coil with a corresponding wire 10 kilometers long and weighing 2.3 kg. It can be integrated into ground and aerial vehicles.

During the demonstration, the team showed aggressive maneuvering of the FPV drone with fiber optic control and payload.