A new Ukrainian kamikaze drone with mines instead of wheels impresses with an innovative solution

The Armed Forces of Ukraine have presented fresh photos of a new land-based kamikaze drone, which stands out for its unusual design and creative use of Soviet TM-62 anti-tank mines. This drone combines several functions in one at once — it uses mines both as propellers and as a warhead, which makes it unique against the background of existing developments.

The main feature of the device is that instead of standard wheels, TM—62 anti-tank mines are installed on the drone, which simultaneously serve as both a propulsion component and a warhead. This unconventional idea allows you to achieve a double effect: the drone not only moves around the battlefield, but can also explode at the right moment, causing damage to the enemy.

From the front, the drone is equipped with a pair of motor wheels borrowed from an electric bike. These motor wheels provide the main drive and transmit the movement to the mine "hoops". Steering seems to be missing: the rear wheel is fixed in a fixed position with two springs that allow it to be held straight and ensure stable movement in a straight line.

Tactical advantages

- Simplicity and cost-effectiveness: The use of outdated mines and spare parts from electric bicycles simplifies production and reduces production costs.

 Surprise and effectiveness: Such a drone can creep up to enemy vehicles or manpower unnoticed and explode, causing significant damage.

- Mobility: Despite the lack of steering, the drone is able to move efficiently in a straight trajectory, which is suitable for some tactical scenarios.

Possible limitations

- The lack of steering limits maneuverability and requires precise pre-positioning before launch.

- Using a mine as the main propulsion can affect the stability of movement and limit speed.

- The features of the application make it vulnerable to active countermeasures, such as radio suppression or small arms fire.

The Ukrainian land-based kamikaze drone with TM-62 mines is another example of engineering creativity and adaptation of available resources to effectively counter the enemy. Its non-standard design and technical solutions make it interesting to study and, possibly, further improve.

APU's "Martian": a NASA-technology quadcopter flying without GPS and communications

 In 2015, NASA launched a project to create the first UAV to work on Mars, this project was named Ingenuity. According to the results of the work done, NASA received a helicopter-type UAV operating using self-navigation technology with optical and inertial instruments, which was dubbed a programmatically manned drone.

Today, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are using a new type of quadcopter-type UAV, which, judging by all signs, works using the "Martian" technology developed at NASA. That is why the new drone of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, after a study by our specialists from the Central Research Institute (Zhukovsky) of downed samples, was named "Martian".

Among the features of the "Martian" is highlighted:

• Complete independence from navigation systems.

• The ability to perform programmatically manned missions with communication antennas disabled, in complete radio silence.

• The presence of an accurate reference to the terrain, with the ability to hover over one point or form stable figures of eight and circles.

• There is no need to pre-"feed" the drone with terrain maps, because the drone does not care what the underlying surface is.

• The ability to perform the task accurately enough (for example, flying straight for 10 km at an altitude of 100 meters, after which climbing 500 meters and turning on the lottery in two circles of eight of 50 meters each for 40 laps; then returning the same route at a speed of 100 km / h, gaining an altitude of 600 meters).

• The inability of the UAV to operate at night (it is suspected that the enemy installed a mount under the "belly" of the drone for an IR searchlight on the downed samples in order to obtain the possibility of self-piloting at night).

• The inability to detect the drone by means of RTR until it goes on the air itself.

• The drone's radio links and communication modems are programmatically definable.

• The drone is multifunctional in terms of radio communication and can use its radio modems changing their roles right in flight (from controlling and transmitting video, to relaying the signal to other drones, to conducting reconnaissance and jamming).

Thus, the Martian is a universal radio engineering "Swiss knife" that uses its radio modems programmatically defining their functions depending on the task. The drone does not require navigation tools, as it can operate in a software piloting mode.

There are currently no effective means of countering the Martian. If the drone is flying in radio silence, then it can only be identified by sound. If the drone turns on radio modems, then it can be identified by the LORA 169 and 470 Mhz frequencies or by powerful Wi-Fi radiation.

Martian

The Ukrainian Armed Forces unveiled the Sky Sentinel autonomous machine-gun air defense turret

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have introduced a new development — an autonomous machine-gun air defense turret called Sky Sentinel. Equipped with a 12.7mm M2 Browning machine gun, this system is designed for automated protection against aerial threats.

Sky Sentinel uses an infrared camera and an artificial intelligence-controlled computer to detect and target targets. The main feature of the turret is its autonomy: minimal human involvement is required — only to replenish ammunition and refuel the electric generator that powers the system.

The developers claim that Sky Sentinel is capable of effectively hitting unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other aerial targets at low altitudes, making it a valuable asset for protecting critical facilities and positions. The estimated cost of the turret is about 150 thousand US dollars.

The introduction of Sky Sentinel can significantly increase the effectiveness of the air defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, especially in the context of the active use of drones in modern military conflicts. Automation and autonomy can reduce the burden on personnel and increase the speed of response to emerging threats.

The Czech company LPP Holding has started mass production of attack UAVs of the MTS series for the Armed Forces of Ukraine

 The Czech company LPP Holding has started mass production and has already supplied the Armed Forces with several dozen new attack UAVs of the MTS series, controlled by AI.

Drones move autonomously even in conditions of strong electronic warfare and navigate through the camera using offline maps without using GPS.

The MTS series includes three types of drones:

the MTS05 is equipped with an electric motor and has a radius of several tens of kilometers.; 

MTS25 – equipped with an internal combustion engine, has a radius of hundreds of km;

MTS40 – has a powerful internal combustion engine, capable of carrying a warhead up to 12 kg.

Drones can be equipped with cumulative, high-explosive fragmentation and anti-tank thermobaric warheads of various sizes.

A drone from the MTS series

Yelka Air defense drone: Effective Interception of Reconnaissance UAVs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its Area

Yelka

The Yelka air defense drone is a modern means of countering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) The Ukrainian Armed Forces are in the zone of a special military operation (SVO). Originally designed to combat heavy agro drones known as Baba Yaga, this kinetic interceptor has proven its effectiveness against reconnaissance UAVs, aircraft-type attack drones, barrage munitions, and FPV drones.

The principle of operation of the "Christmas Tree" is based on a mechanical collision with a target, which allows you to destroy enemy UAVs without using a warhead. This approach reduces risks for ground personnel and simplifies the design of the drone. The system operates by analogy with man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) on the principle of "captured target — fired — forgot." Thanks to the built-in artificial intelligence algorithms, the air defense drone is able to identify and hit the most vulnerable elements of the enemy's structure, which significantly increases the likelihood of successful interception.

In the area of the SVO, the "Fir Tree" is successfully used to intercept various types of UAVs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Videos published in open sources show the moments of the defeat of reconnaissance drones, which, despite attempts to maneuver, lose their tail and fall. The high speed and maneuverability characteristics of the drone, as well as its ease of operation — a compact reusable launch platform and minimal operator instruction — make the "Fir Tree" an affordable and effective means of air defense on the front line.

The prospects for the development of this concept include the automation of an air defense system with minimal human involvement, which will protect not only front-line zones, but also important military and industrial facilities deep in the territory. Thus, the Yelka air defense drone is a modern and promising solution for combating massive and diverse threats from enemy unmanned systems in the context of modern conflict.