Ukraine is working on a new type of unmanned fiber optic combat robots. They don't fly like classic drones, they only move on the ground.
Brave1 surgery is a government initiative supporting innovation in the defense industry. Its representatives told Business Insider that drones controlled with the help of fiber -plated are very popular among the army in Kiev because they are resistant to classic activities in the field of electronic war.
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Recently, Brave1 organized an event in Ukraine, during which seven ground -controlled robots were tested. Compared to FPV drones used daily in the fight, the units are still at the stage of early development. The organization points out, however, that several promising models have already been identified.
Tests showed that The most effective applications for ground -controlled robots are fiber optic tasks or suicide missions. In the case of logistics tasks, where the robot would have to move regularly along the same route, the optical fiber could easily get tangled or hook with obstacles on the ground.
Unlike radio connections, which are susceptible to electronic signal interference, Fiber optic cables provide a stable connection of the operator and the robot over a distance of several kilometers. They are difficult to detect and allow the image transmission in high quality.
Is the UGV era coming?
Until now, optical fiber has been used mainly in drones, but Ukraine wants to expand this technology to unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), both due to the intensive Russian electronic struggle and the restrictions of radio waves, which can be suppressed by the terrain. Optical fibers can provide a more stable connection.
UGV is remote -controlled robots capable of carrying out combat and logistics tasks, such as providing ammunition on the front line, evacuation of wounded, conducting assault on enemy positions, distribution of mines or detonation at armored vehicles.
Before The high -ranking Ukrainian official said in an interview with BI that in his opinion UGV would be another groundbreaking technology of this war.
Both Kiev and Moscow are already using this type of work in battle. Some of them are equipped with machine guns and thermal imaging cameras, which allows at night. The new fiber optic UGV would be another step in the development of this technology.
– The optical fiber can also act as an alternative communication channel for UGV control in situations where other forms of connection are impossible due to strong interference of electronic systems – explain Brave1 representatives.
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The organization emphasizes that since it is already known that UGVs can operate using a fiber, It is necessary to develop the appropriate tactics of their use. He is working on this together with the Ukrainian army and security services. This year, Kyiv plans to acquire thousands of such systems.
UGV tests are another proof that the electronic war drives a high -rate technology race between Ukraine and Russia. Both armies are constantly looking for new solutions to maintain the efficiency of their drones and robots.
Although ground robots do not appear on the front as often as air drones, they have an important role to play. Ukraine also uses the fleet of sea drones, which it used to inflict losses of the Russian Black Sea fleet.
The above text is a translation with American Business Insider edition
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