The drone lifeguard service, which has been rolled out across Spanish beaches, dropped a life vest into the sea this month that was able to keep the teenager afloat just as he started to sink, its operators have said.
* * * * *
I thought I had heard of this before, but it's nice to see how well it worked.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-62048403
Col Oleksii Noskov, assistant commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, said: "The army of drones will allow us to constantly monitor the 2,470km-long (1,535 miles) front line and to field an effective response to enemy attacks, using modern technology."
Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's minister of digital transformation, told the BBC via email that the first goal of the campaign was to purchase tactical drones which have a 100-mile range and are equipped with a sophisticated camera, GPS and mapping tools.
However, after studying the issue, he said "our team understood that Ukraine's army still needed quadcopters", and so he said the country was asking people to "donate their own drones".
Ukraine hopes to collect thousands of multi-use and commercial UAVs.
* * * * *
the videos from Ukrainian drones also make for good news clips and youtube videos.
https://en.defence-ua.com/weapon_and_tech/spectator_m1_mission_successful-1644.html
The Spectator-M1 UAS technology has been developed with special emphasis placed on anti-jamming capability. The system incorporates proprietary solutions from Meridian – including, but not limited to an ECM warning system which alerts about the incoming jamming signal; automatic switchover between control modes; the use of long-range secure communication links; and digital encryption of signals -- allowing it to operate in heavy ECM environments. The Spectator-M1 has been successfully tested against all counter-drone systems currently available in Ukraine.
The Spectator-M1 drone, due to its small size, camouflage painting, and low RCS along with other low observability features, is stealthy to enemy countermeasures. It is so silent as to be undetectable while flying at over 300 m, and the very low noise of its engine can only be heard while flying at 100 m or lower.
* * * * *
Sounds like they know what they're doing! I don't think I've seen any reports of these being shot down yet.
https://www.kvertus.com/products/drone-jammer-antidron-kvsg-3/#
“ANTIDRON KVSG-3” allows effectively fight against drones, approaching the protected area, by suppressing the drone’s control and navigation channels. It leads to neutralization and forced landing of the intruder.
* * * * *
I'm not sure how it can force a landing. Range of 1 kilometer.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2022/04/06/ukraine-drone-footage-pleitgen-pkg-lead-vpx.cnn
I read that DJI (a Chinese company) helps Russia with archives from their database, while they don't help Ukraine.
These guys were using a DJI quadcopter. Bad idea.
https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/29/dji_denies_aiding_russia/
DJI's involvement in Russia's illegal invasion first became an issue around March 11, when allegations emerged that Ukrainian users were unable to use a DJI drone detection product called DJI AeroScope that the Chinese company bills as "a comprehensive drone detection platform that rapidly identifies UAV communication links, gathering information such as flight status, paths, and other information in real time."
Russian users could run AeroScope, leading to accusations that DJI was assisting Moscow.
* * * * *
Personally, as a DJI drone owner, I'll be happy to switch to one of the many US companies that now make just as good products.
"The Ukrainian soldiers were equipped with night vision goggles, sniper rifles, remotely detonated mines, drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras and others capable of dropping small 1.5kg bombs."
* * * * *
They made their own drones, equipped them with small bombs, snuck up on Russian vehicles and let 'em drop.
The trio of drone incidents has amplified concerns that Russia’s war in Ukraine could spill over into NATO countries, even if unintentionally, forcing the alliance to decide how to respond — if at all — to incidents that occur inside its borders.
US defense officials say the errant drones that entered NATO territory appeared to be largely inadvertent. Since the start of Russia’s invasion, the US military has established a deconfliction line with Russia to reduce the risk of miscalculation and make sure the two militaries operating so close together don’t inadvertently clash. The US has tested the line “once or twice a day,” according to a senior defense official, but so far, it hasn’t been needed.
* * * * *
Could one errant drone flight be enough to start a war? Stay tuned...
https://ukrspecsystems.com/drones/leleka-100-electric-uav
"LELEKA-100 unmanned aerial system has been officially on service in Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2015. Our solution has received positive feedback from Ukrainian Army officers, drone operators, and intelligence agents. It is one of the most commonly used drones of its class in the Ukrainian Army and has most of the flight hours recorded. Leleka-100 even participated in a Military Parade in honor of the Independence Day of Ukraine." According to https://twitter.com/UAWeapons one of these was downed recently by electronic warfare.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/17663028/ukraine-punisher-drones-russian-forces-putin-invades/
"The unmanned planes - with a 7.5-foot wingspan - carry up to three high explosive bombs which can wipe out troops and vehicles within 50 metres.
They loiter for hours 1,300 feet above the battlefield up to 30 miles behind enemy lines directed by a pilot on the ground manning a laptop computer.
A smaller reconnaissance drone called a Spectre flies alongside to identify targets before the Punisher homes in for the kill."
* * * * *
I hope to read more about this after the war.
“Williams Drone successfully completed several flights, but unfortunately one drone crashed in the Open Cut following a battery cell failure,” Weber said. “A second drone was used for several additional flights before the control system forced an emergency landing within the Open Cut. The drone manufacturer is being consulted to help understand what may have caused the emergency landing. Until more is known, application of the capping compound has been suspended.”
* * * * *
Those darned malfunctions! Even the backup failed. Bummer.
Imagine being a grunt in the front lines knowing that you can be buzzed, spied on, and attacked by drones.
https://twitter.com/IAPonomarenko/status/1494250407731896322?s=20&t=niaNmJcUFkUex-cyP-pjnw
* * * * *
1001 uses for a drone!
