A Ukrainian military drone team called Angry Birds claims to carry out half a dozen racing-drone attacks a day. How important could these improvised weapons become?
. Last year its forces released a video of a racing drone diving through an open doorway into a building occupied by Russian troops and exploding. involves flying drones around an obstacle course at high speed. The sport has existed for around a decade and now has leagues in several countries. Racing drones are faster and more agile than the consumer models used by photographers: they can reach speeds of almost 250kph. Operators wear video goggles to get a pilot’s-eye view.
Converting a racing drone for war involves adding extra battery packs to the top and a bomb underneath. Although a range of 500 metres is sufficient for racing, with a change of radio frequency their range can be extended to a few kilometres. Unlike other bomber drones, which can attack multiple times, modified racing drones can only be used once: they are blown up when they detonate their cargo. Their usefulness comes in attacking targets that are safe from vertical bombing.
The weakness of these bombers, as with all drones, is their reliance on radio communication. Radio signals can struggle to reach underground areas. Videos stutter as they encounter interference and they are vulnerable to jamming. But Samuel Bendett, an analyst withSmall kamikaze drones armed with explosive warheads, also known as loitering munitions, are not new. America has supplied Ukraine with several hundred Switchblade 300s, a type of loitering munition.
Many more kamikaze drones, both improvised and commercial, are likely to follow. Russian forces already use their own versions, although not to the extent of the Ukranians. Mr Bendett notes that the Russian Ministry of Defence recently organised a meeting with the Russian Drone Racing Federation. Other countries are taking note too. Elbit Systems, an Israeli firm, recently unveiled a military-grade quadcopter munition for indoor operations, such as clearing an occupied building of enemy troops.
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