How Ukraine took Drones to the Next Level

[@danielburgess7785]

Our host keeps giving us new, and informed, individuals who don't speculate but provide accurate analysis. Thank you.

[@tommyfred6180]

yah its nice to see quality analysis. its also not surprising that its not being done by mainstream media.

[@TrojanHell]

Not only that, hes now cooperating with literal uni's and is approaching "one-man-faculty" capabilities

[@RonJohn63]

In a way, this drone war (ISR, then dropping hand grenades, attacking other drone, etc) reminds me of the changing nature of airplanes in WW1.

[@hawkerhellfire9152]

Holy hell what a fascinating thought. Will we have a "fighter drone" to shoot down other drones?

[@jagtone]

Bang on!

[@Austin-cn8vh]

@@hawkerhellfire9152 Almost assured that some sort of onboard anti drone systems will emerge first, then dedicated platforms.

[@richardwales9674]

I was thinking this as well. The military drones are beyond this but the parallel is there.

[@AnzelmK]

There already was a documented ramming of Russian quad-copter by Ukrainian one (Ukr won). But yeah, it's like you wrote just like in WW I. It's just a matter of time when somebody straps a gun to DJI drone.

[@neilwilson5785]

Man, this channel gets the experts. On point dude.

[@declanbrady5172]

Awesome video with an incredibly knowledgeable expert. Keep up the amazing work. This is my favourite military channel on KZbin!

[@Raptor747]

I imagine that early on, there WAS no real integration into doctrine or formal unit organization. It was just people coming up with the idea (or hearing about it from elsewhere) and making it up as they went, performing the attacks experimentally where and when they could, learning from the experience, and sharing that experience with the rest of the AFU and its allies. I'm also sure that those same allies provided advice, assistance, and maybe harder to acquire odds and ends to make them more efficient. The videos we saw early in the war may not have been from organized units at all, but improvised experiments by volunteers uploading the videos for morale purposes (which undoubtedly worked).

[@pat8988]

I like these interviews with experts in their field. Very informative.

[@christopherhanshew652]

This guest is incredibly thoughtful. A wonderfully directed and edited interview.

[@cannonfodder4376]

Another informative video and interview on an ever changing area of warfare and technical development.

[@nowthenzen]

Thanks!

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

Thanks, Robert!

[@thekinginyellow1744]

In terms of innovation and bang for your buck, I think it's hard to beat Аеророзвідка. Their Octocopter was specifically developed based on feedback from the front lines. The eight rotor design is an attempt to reduce rotor noise so that the drone is more difficult to detect. More larger slower props means less noise. No genius autocad or imbedded systems needed, just simple physics/aerodynamics.

[@johanmetreus1268]

How Computer fans became silent.... but the really quiet ones had some serious CAD and windtunnel testing behind them.

[@jagtone]

Great interview, Chris, very informative.

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@dimarusanov6107]

@@MilitaryAviationHistory Actually not very impressive in comparison to Justin Bronk analysis What about russian/iranian drones?

[@freda7436]

Awesome episode! Thank you.

[@michaelguerin56]

Thank you Christoph and Julia. Excellent video.

[@TheAir2142]

To be honest it has been really interesting to see the development of weaponized drones through footage on sites like 4 Chan. To go from ad hawk builds made on the frontline to these highly sophisticated systems with targeting systems and larger payloads.

[@antonhengst8667]

Ad hoc?

[@edward9674]

Thank you as always!

Again. Very interesting talk and good cooperation.

[@hardheadjarhead]

This was wonderfully informative.

[@CharliMorganMusic]

Everyone could've done it, but small decentralized systems are fast, and when you take the most educated people in a country and ask ALL of them to come up with solutions, they're going to get very creative, and they have.

[@thekinginyellow1744]

Necessity is the mother of invention

[@PrograError]

@@thekinginyellow1744 AND war is the greatest arbiter of power and "murder rate"

[@kmit9191]

@@PrograError it is just the biggest demand factor there is. Demand gives a huge surge in development and this is what we can see in every larger and prolonged conflict

[@feedingravens]

On KZbin there is a guy called ArcticReflections, photographer and usually flat earth debunker, who is also captain in the swedish military reserve. He buys commercial unarmed drones and sends them to the Ukraine. In the meantime he has sent 12 drones, and about 7 of them have been shot down.

[@jagtone]

It's a hazardous environment. That's expendable low cost drones are so important.

[@Skarry]

I have a Mavic in the box unused. Not sure if it'd be much help. Tiny guy.

[@feedingravens]

@@Skarry Contact ArcticReflections and ask him. He has the contacts to the Ukraine, they know what they can use.

[@feedingravens]

​@@jagtone That is the thing - that drones are expendable and people not. Seems russians have a tradition to see it the other way around. There are stories that they emptied villages of all men, drove them with truck to the front and told them "The germans are over there. You have to get there. The guns you can take from the dead on the battleground."

[@richardburgess8657]

Great interview. Thank you. 😎

[@beepsaber3686]

your channel is so underrated

[@Caseytify]

To what degree are small drone systems like Switchblade useful to the Ukraine military? I don't see them mentioned in this war.

[@overlord6887]

They're useful, the problem is their availability, and use rates. They're essentially munitions, so they're used up as soon as they arrive. This is why the employment of commercially available drones for dropping grenades and mortars is more common, since they're easier to acquire, and reusable. Although they're also destroyed at such a rate, that they may as well as be regarded as single use too.

[@timandsuzidickey9358]

well done !!

[@mensch1066]

That "Montana Actual" note has been at the bottom of your monitor for quite a few videos now (though the notes on the wall to the left look new).

[@williamromine5715]

I've been wondering what "Montana Actual" means. If he has said, I must have missed it.

[@BHuang92]

This war would be analyzed for years to come, and the next war would be very terrifying!

[@shaneintheuk2026]

I can imagine that drones/uavs are in an early golden phase. In a decade I imagine every military will have created defensive technologies. It’s striking how the ground forces are unaware of drones above them and seem unable to respond. I cannot imagine that lasting. If nothing else the motors must be generating heat which should show up on infrared red. I wonder whether “fighter” drones are practical or if ground to air is better.

[@dukenukem8381]

Ukraine used atack drones waaaay before 2019, Look up punisher drone. R-18 was also used, mavick Vog drone combo as well.

[@jonadabtheunsightly]

The cheap consumer-oriented commercial drones that I am familiar with, require an operator at fairly close range. That seems like it would be a significant limitation in a military context. Does anyone know, in general terms, how Ukraine is addressing that issue? I'm not looking for any technical specifics here, just a general overview.

[@rozkaz661]

That is challenging as it usually needs raised repeaters on masts and some network to conect all the pieces together. costs and risks of it being hit by the enemy would a new possible weak link in a system and mass implementation of which might not be worth the increased range over just buying a massively cheaper consumer system

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

Boost the signals or use high gain directional antennas. Normally illegal to do because of interference, but hey, it's war right. You can wifi your laptop with off the shelf stuff or easilly made diy antennas made from some copper wire 5 or so kilometer away from your home if you want. With satelite dishes over 40km is possible if you can create line of sight. Lag does become an issue eventually but for recon that doesn't really matter These drones use similar frequencies so i suspect they use something like that. You probably run out of battery range if you want to have some air time above what you want observe before you run out of signal range if you want to. It would take some experience to point the antenna properly and automated actions so the drone will come home when connection is lost for more then a minute or so, but those are pretty standard features.

[@stefanavic6630]

"How Ukraine took Drones to the Next Level" - Altitude button?

[@goetzliedtke]

Have any drones been used as a swarm with mesh communications and relay from deeper in the enemy territory to the friendly forces?

[@seegurke93]

I am not sure if Chris is checking me out or just nice at the end with the eye itch :D

[@deltavee2]

Thanks, Chris for a timely and very well conducted interview. Been with you since very early days and you've come a long way. Your content is always worth the time. It would be very interesting to see what effect a simultaneous thousand-drone or more swarm attack accompanied by purpose-built jammers and SEAD-designated Wild Weasel drones with rocket-armed suppression drones to protect the swarm would have on a Russian human wave attack. It would sure give me the Willies to see a two-klick wide solid line of black moving in my direction with bad intent. There is one company in the U.S. that produces a drone capable of carrying 500 lbs over a useable distance. Armed with rockets and networked with SEAD drones they would make a miniature of the tried and true tactics that go back to Vietnam. These heavy-lift drones are not available off the shelf. If you want one you have to buy it direct from the company and I'm pretty sure they would be very interested in your intentions for the machine before they would consider selling you one. Amazon might have something to offer in terms of low-level pinpoint technology. If they can drop a box on your porch or driveway I can certainly see the potential for more potent deliveries for Ukraine especially if four or five swarm a target from different compass points and perform a time-on-target attack. Bye-bye Comm and Control Centre, for instance. Rapid delivery of designated sets of drones by jets using cluster bomb tech to drop pre-targeted or GPS-guided miniature strike groups well behind enemy lines could prove effective and if a better delivery system than a jet could be developed I'm sure the Ukrainians will figure it out. If they haven't already.... Summer of 2023 is going to be very interesting.

[@ingenium5831]

Short question: when she talks about a long range drone from Ukroboronprom, she says that the plan to hand it over "end of the year" -> was the interview filmed in 2022 or is she talking about the end of 2023? Great content, as usual, btw

[@jacksavage4098]

Very intelligent lady. Informative and enjoyable offering.

[@maltnz]

No mention of seaborne drones?

[@Han_Solo2426]

Hi bismark i have a question for you have you heard or listened to sabaton?

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

I know of them but I do not listen to them regulary.

[@Tallero]

There was an interview with ukrainian drone pilot, he had 500+ confirmed kills, before he lost count and stopped. Not counting artillery spotting etc.

[@kilianklaiber6367]

An astonishing interview given that Chris has dismissed the importance of Drones in the Ukraine war. I think that Drones have changed warfare significantly just like machine guns or tanks have in the past. Has Chris changed his mind?

[@righteousbyfaithinChrist]

I remember watching a video about the American company that designed these for Ukraines use.

[@beepboop204]

[@Deniz-il2tq]

Danke für das Video Chris :) Spielst du eigentlich noch IL2? Ich sehe dein TrackIR im Hintergrund also gehe ich davon aus das du noch aktiv in der Sim-Community bist.

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

DCS im Moment

[@tommyfred6180]

when the war started a friend sent twenty drones to his pen friend in Poland. i have no idea what he wanted them for. but he keeps asking for more. :)

[@jpierce2l33t]

Love how she thought she had to explain ISR to viewers of this channel 🤣🤣

[@philipnorgrove5528]

Necessity

[@SouthParkCows88]

Iran has done some solider drone warfare themselves as well, great video good sir.

[@Caseytify]

Generally the only thing Iran has managed is a lot of publicity about vaporware.

[@thebigone6969]

You’ve taken KZbin to the next level Chris!!!! You’re numero uno!!! Just make sure to save some babes for the rest of us!!!!!!

[@danr1920]

I sure hope the U.S. military is studying the Ukraine war intensely as how wars are fought has changed yet again.

[@usnchief1339]

Studying? They are in the mix helping them. We never miss out on a perfect opportunity like this to learn, develop and apply new technology.

[@overlord6887]

A lot of this stuff has been popping up long before this conflict. For example, the first recorded use of commercial drones being jury rigged to drop mortars and hand grenades was back when ISIS first emerged. One of the first recorded attacks was of ISIS dropping pipe bombs on Foreign Legion personnel. Folks over at the Pentagon have been talking about the employment of drones at the Company level and below nearly a decade ago, and the US anti drone program got started nearly as early as well. Also stuff like the loyal wingman program was up or at least on the drawing board even earlier. The real use for the US for data from the conflict is how a lot of theoretical stuff is being put to the test, also the refinement of tactics for stuff like the switchblade.

[@paulnutter1713]

Who do you thinks funding all this, real life experimenting with new weapons and tactics and without risking one American life

[@krityaan]

The US has used drones for ISR and decoy purposes since the 1991 war The revolution is in drones becoming cheap and readily available for all nations. The superpowers have already built up expertise in drones, loitering munitions. Manned Unmanned Teaming, both in the sky and on the ground with pair UGVs to tanks are both being prototyped. The RQ global hawk series of drones are extremely capable ISR assets. X-47B shows how far the US has come with drones in the Navy, not to mention the submarine launched submersible drones. War changed a while ago, we're just seeing it in pitched combat for the first time

[@JohnFrumFromAmerica]

The US would fight wars very differently due to its tech advantage so they may not learn as much as you might think.

[@sitrep123able]

I was hopping for Dr Bronk

[@thekinginyellow1744]

Interesting typo, I can visualize it.

[@ΝικοςΚαλοχριστιανακης-μ2ζ]

Thank you very much this innovative "weapon" is and is going to change the way of modern war for ever! One day only deep caves will be our safety! I hope the film terminator not to come true so a complete autonomous system like skynet to take initiative controlling such weapons and destroy humanity!

[@umjackd]

This was really interesting. Though I have to say, there's only so much "drone dropping a grenade on visible soldiers" footage that can be watched before it gets pretty uncomfortable.

[@norbertblackrain2379]

"Not macht erfinderisch." Ukraine was in a desperate situation and such situations fire up creativity and kill red tape.

[@otskok9036]

Русские хорошо это используют Нам прям нравиться уничтожать врага такими темами!

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

They Had Too …!

[@PlanetFrosty]

I’m offering our AI controllers which as very small light single board devices and our large AI super computer computational facility assistance.

[@NothernNate]

Ukraine Drones sure do roast some Orcs! Yass 🤘 Pootin War Criminal Ukraine will Prevail! 💛💙

[@burhanbudak6041]

Its weird that EMP aren't used to disrupt drones.

[@captaindak5119]

Russians have used electronic warfare to knock Ukrainian drones. The following study by RUSI ,a British military think tank, states that 90% of Ukrains drones were knocked out by the Russians. Most were knocked out by Russian Electronic warfare units. November 2022. Preliminary Lessons in Conventional Warfighting from Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: February-July 2022 (page 37). Royal United Services Institute

[@BenVaserlan]

This video has a huge presupposition.

[@garyb5998]

Excellent 😎 very educational video based on the current knowledge of UAVs in the Ukraine and it's valiant repelling of the Putler Invasion and the current Drone involvement in a conflict 😎

[@sylamy7457]

Das crazy

[@68walter]

Das bot

[@scifidude184]

I mean, Oryx documents Ukraine equipment losses too. To see the other side of the war one must also realize Russia has extensively used drones as well, with the same effectiveness as Ukraine.

[@Skarry]

Yeah, against self unaliving drones used against innocent civilians. Like brave men.

[@fullm3taljacket]

@@Skarry looool, Ukraine shelled 14k of their own civilians to death just in 2014-2015...spare me

[@Skarry]

@@fullm3taljacket you are spared.

[@007Neoplan]

Yeah, they took them to Zagreb a few months back...

[@marksarcevich9824]

Excellent stuff 👍 my twins are both in the AF ( daughter is a Mission Intelligence coordinator and son is a Sensor operator on MQ9Reapers) please do a video on MQ9s

[@ericgrace9995]

Literate, educated and well motivated soldiers.

[@oohhboy-funhouse]

Calling Iranian "Suicide drones" annoy me. They don't do any of the traditional drone functions like ISR, terminal guidance, munition launches, man in the middle, loiter or return to base. They are much closer to "Cruise missiles" like tomahawk, but basic, very low cost, powered by lawn mowers. It's like calling anything with amour and an organic weapon a "Tank". But the name is what it is.

[@MikeHunt-rw4gf]

algorithm

[@usnchief1339]

a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer. Did I win?

[@sadeksama5057]

Russia is equally using drones to its advantage like Ukraine is if not better I've seen alot of footage of small Russian drones dropping bombs on Ukrainians trenches too Also there is a Russian kamikaze drone called "lanset" This drone has a camera and its really cool to see the drone closes on its targets So far Russia used it to target artillery pieces and radars At least that's what I've seen so far

[@cactuslietuva]

I agree, russian drones are way more advance to shitty DJI drones with 20-25 min fly time

[@stevewhite3424]

@@cactuslietuva Please name the commercially available Russian drone you are speaking of including its price so we can compare it to the commercially available off the shelf DJI drone which is literally available on Amazon.

[@cactuslietuva]

@@stevewhite3424 im talking about military drones. Russia also using plenty of DJI drones

[@stevewhite3424]

@@cactuslietuva I realize that arguing with a bot farm is a waste of time but your post compared "Russian drones" and how much better they were than the" shitty DJI drone's" . So what you meant to say was that purpose builtl Russian military drones are way better than drones that I can buy on Amazon. Is that really the hill you want to die on? Do yourself a favor and don't wound your precious Russian ego by comparing your wonderful Russian drones with the state of current US military drones as it will only make you feel inadequate and weak, sort of like Russia's "thunder run" to Kiev last February.

[@cactuslietuva]

@@stevewhite3424 haha im not russian. if you dumb enough to not understand the difference between military and commercial drones i feel sorry for you. Google lancet, orion and many others. And of course USA has better military drones cause of military budget difference. But Russia is fighting Ukraine and not USA. So no predator drones or anything that is actually good

[@lorenzor2555]

Russia is doing exactly the same - or batter - with their drones (also with their “iranian” ones)

[@Castragroup]

Early ukrane was very good at drones. But over the last few months russia is one of the best in the world at drones

[@TheDM3002XTuber]

Like the subjects, don't like this conversation format.

[@benatkins9148]

Because ukraine is full of creative ppl who want to protect their homes. Slava ukraini

[@usnchief1339]

This war has changed how future wars will be fought. UAVs and ATMs have shown their value. Tanks, ships, and other vehicles will need to adapt.

[@usnchief1339]

@@MyFathersBusinessLLC relax, ur going to have a stroke...anti tank guided missile. I forgot the G...God forgive me

[@Wardinson]

@@usnchief1339 the g is pretty fucking important "chief"

[@usnchief1339]

@@Wardinson Only if your Gay

[@ЮрийКастро-м5в]

Your thumbnail is correct, Ukraine is already a drone superpower, they have more drones on their territory than any other country in the world, but "unfortunately " most of them belong to Russia!

[@uyngor1536]

Fox hole drone killer home made

[@3bdallh12000]

I'm stand with ukraine 🇺🇦.. but your neaber it's Russia 🇷🇺 ( the war not a joke ) Russia will develop a new generation of drons I think should be ukraine talk more with Russia... I'm arab war not good for buth

[@rosstisbury1626]

interesting and worth a look . . couple of lines i found amusing " Ukraine is not a NATO member " ya could of fooled me because it is in everything but name . . and "dropping grenades on the enemy " theyre people, dont be shy about it, say it, it might be a little more honest

[@startrekmike]

One would think that use of the term "The enemy" means using it on people. It isn't dishonest at all. "The enemy" will always be composed of people.

[@rosstisbury1626]

@@startrekmike your right But its what they do . . call them something else so they they dont have to say people . . its part of the problem

[@Inspectorzinn2]

If Ukraine was a NATO member the US would of already blasted Russia back to Moscow lol.

[@fullm3taljacket]

@@Inspectorzinn2 hahahahahahahaha

[@ЮрийКастро-м5в]

Like Himars, 50 000 Nato contractors 🤦

[@fullm3taljacket]

While I'm sure it's an interesting view on modern drones, the idea that Ukraine can "win" is hilariously and delusionally dangerous

[@danielburgess7785]

A Ukrainian victory standing alone? Of course that's absurd. Aligned with much of NATO and other nations the notion isn't that far fetched.

[@akirasean4080]

No, but to bleed Russia is still viable strategy. After all Soviet Union collapsed just after Afghanistan campaign.

[@feedingravens]

Well, not losing is already quite a lot against what was considered as the 2nd-best military of the world. The russians were almost in Kiev after days, and they could stop them and drive them completely out in the south. The russians have obviousl lost practically all modern tanks and now revive mothballed T-.64s, and have lost so many soldiers that they have to draft people from the streets. I grant you that when "winning" against the biggest country on earth, is in the sense occupying the complete country, esp. the capital with the headquarters of government and military, that is certainly not it. But to bring Putin to a solution that lastingly allows the independence of the Ukraine (and all the other adjacent countries that partly have larger russian minorities than the Ukraine) is not peossible when you show the slightest insecurity against a trained KGB agent that has ZERO issues at sacrificing an unlimited number of people for his interests.

[@fullm3taljacket]

@@feedingravens lol, ok, have fun getting nuked for money laundering Nazis then

[@ingemar_von_zweigbergk]

it will be difficult for third gen male androids to get any respect, if they got zero highscore in hunting mammals

[@_datapoint]

It's weird to hear people talk as if Ukraine is still going to exist as a coherent country in the near future.

[@parvizdeamer]

If anything Russia coming apart is more likely than a unified western supported nation. This invasion has done more than anything to create a unified Ukraine identity that is determined for right for its survival, even in the more Russian speaking areas.

[@fullm3taljacket]

@@parvizdeamer hahahahahahahahahahaha

[@parvizdeamer]

@@fullm3taljacket I mean how else can a nation of 44 million take in and push back the worlds 2nd largest military? Couple that with the fact that half a million Russians has left Russia since the war started? You can call it unified, but true unity isn’t forced at the barrel of a gun. That’s what Russian soldiers struggle to fight, there is not will and not support, meanwhile parts of the country want to breakaway so much that a military strongman is needed to keep them part of Russia…. There are only so many guns and soldiers you can use to fight a war (that you’re loosing btw) and force your population to go along with you.

[@tangofrown3352]

you should see the russian side

[@gorbalsboy]

Isn't it amazing that we have created a society that pays lots to some pretty middle class girlie for stating the obvious whereas those that do the fighting up close and personal get paid the least, posted by grumpy auld soldier

[@startrekmike]

You really went all in on the overt sexism thing. I suppose there always has to be at least one in a given KZbin comments section.

[@rosstisbury1626]

way of the world but she did have some good info . .

[@Davey-Boyd]

What a moronic statement on every level.

[@Inspectorzinn2]

Do you also think Generals should be paid the same as those fighting up close? Soldiers fighting up close are pawns, generals are the brains. We want to hear from the brains, not the brawn.

[@thekinginyellow1744]

Sexism aside, I pretty much agree with you in terms of this video. OTOH, That "girlie" is probably going to dig a lot deeper than you or I would (since it's her job) and come up with some specific analysis on what works and what doesn't that is a bit more actionable that anecdotes from the front line. As a grumpy auld soldier, you should know that yours is not to wonder why, yours is but to do or die.

[@stevezhang5532]

Warmongering

[@startrekmike]

Could you elaborate?

[@fullm3taljacket]

Continuing the war is dumb and exceptionally dangerous

[@stevewhite3424]

Yup! Aint it cool!

[@malcaniscsm5184]

Yes, Russia is indeed warmongering in Ukraine.

[@neilwilson5785]

@@startrekmike He's a bot, so no, he can't.

[@cycloneranger7927]

All these KZbin commenters thinking drones didn’t exist before February 2022. It’s like they’ve never heard of the Firebee, the Tu-143, the DASH, or any of the drones used during the Gulf War. Sigh…