Russia has introduced modifications to its reconnaissance drones to counter Ukrainian interceptor UAVs. Engineers have equipped the Zala Z16 reconnaissance drone with an additional optical module mounted on top of the fuselage. This camera is designed to detect incoming Ukrainian interceptor drones, allowing the Russian UAV to automatically execute an evasive manoeuvre to avoid being struck.
Details of this technology were revealed by radio technology expert Sergei Flash. Debris from a downed Zala Z16 drone contained evidence of the new system, confirming suspicions that Russian forces have been developing defensive adaptations for their UAVs. Reports of unusual activity involving Russian reconnaissance drones first surfaced in October last year, but only now has there been final confirmation of the new technology. The system relies on machine vision, which enables optical detection of threats and automatically selects an evasive manoeuvre in response.
Russian developers claim the Zala drones will continue performing evasive manoeuvres until the battery of the Ukrainian interceptor drone is depleted. However, the effectiveness of this system depends on various factors, including weather conditions, battery life, and the number of attacking drones. Experts suggest that a logical next step for Ukrainian forces would be to integrate predictive algorithms into their interceptor drones to anticipate and counteract Russian UAV manoeuvres.
Russia has also been experimenting with electronic warfare systems on UAVs, aiming to disrupt the communication of Ukrainian interceptors during their approach to a target. One such device, the Zerkaltse electronic warfare module, has been discovered on Zala drones. This system detects the continuous signal transmission of Ukrainian FPV drones and temporarily activates a radio jamming generator to interfere with their guidance systems.
In response to these developments, Ukraine has been refining its Sky Hunter software, which automates the process of neutralising enemy UAVs with FPV drones. Developed by Art Development Software, Sky Hunter integrates data from Ukrainian radar systems, tracks aerial targets in real time, and displays their coordinates on a control panel. The system then calculates an optimal flight path for an FPV drone to intercept and destroy the target.
Sky Hunter has been designed to defend strategic sites from Russian reconnaissance and attack UAVs, including the Shahed, Molniya, Zala, and Supercam models. The software can be integrated into various FPV drones produced in Ukraine, providing an advanced layer of defence against Russia’s evolving drone warfare tactics. Russian attempts to evade Ukrainian interceptors may prove insufficient in the face of increasingly advanced defensive systems.
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