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Sep 2

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Aerovironment

From Florist To Drone Maker: How Ukraine’s War Democratized Military Technology And Sparked A Global Industry Boom

Before Russia’s invasion, Kseniia Kalmus arranged flowers in Kyiv and traveled Europe showcasing floral designs. Today, she builds combat drones that destroy Russian equipment on the front lines. Her transformation from artisan to arms manufacturer encapsulates how Ukraine’s conflict has democratized military technology and triggered explosive growth in both drone production and counter-drone indu

Haye KestelooNov 14

Department of Defense

From Teenage Drone Racers To $121M Defense Contractors: How Two 20-Somethings Are Building America’s FPV War Machine

Soren Monroe-Anderson was just 20 years old when he walked into the Pentagon with his friend Olaf Hichwa, trying to sell drones they’d built in his parents’ garage. A senior Department of Defense official shut them down immediately: “You can’t just waltz into the Pentagon as 21-year-olds and sell weapon systems to the D.O.D.” Two…

Haye KestelooNov 10

NASA

French Fishing Nets Become Anti-Drone Barriers Protecting Ukraine From Russian FPV Attacks

Discarded fishing nets from Sweden and France’s Brittany coast are finding new purpose on Ukraine’s frontlines, where they’re being deployed as low-tech anti-drone barriers against Russian attack drones. The Breton charity Kernic Solidarités has delivered 280 kilometers (174 miles) of horsehair netting to Ukraine—transforming what would be 800 tons of annual waste into frontline protection…

Haye KestelooNov 8

Ukraine

Ukraine’s Viral ‘Call Of Duty’ Drone System Awards Points For Russian Targets

Ukraine’s military has transformed drone warfare into a competitive video game where verified kills earn points redeemable for advanced weapons, resulting in 18,000 Russian casualties in September alone. The gamified “Army of Drones Bonus System” has gone viral among Ukrainian units and now extends beyond drone strikes to artillery, reconnaissance, and logistics operations, fundamentally reshaping

Haye KestelooNov 4

FPV

Get Your Ham, Save Your Bacon

Most drone operators are breaking this law without realizing it. You are actually required to have a ham radio license in order to operate analog FPV systems in the US.

Zachary PeeryOct 28

Ukraine

Russia Deploys Ring-Wing “Kometa” Drones Over Ukraine As Experimental Design Triples Range

Ukrainian forces have spotted unusual Russian drones with circular ring-wing designs operating over front lines, marking the first combat deployment of an experimental aerodynamic configuration that could extend strike range by up to three times compared to conventional quadcopters. The Kometa drones, manufactured by Russian company Shag Vpered, represent Moscow’s latest attempt to gain tactical…

Haye KestelooOct 26

ukraine drone drones ai kit skynode - 100 Switchblades to Ukraine in March 2022

Aerovironment

Why Are $400 Ukrainian Drones Beating $100,000 American Switchblades?

Western military drones like the American Switchblade have proven too expensive and ineffective for Ukraine’s high-intensity battlefield, forcing a strategic shift to mass-produced FPV drones that cost a fraction of the price. The Economist reports that sophisticated Western systems costing tens of thousands of dollars are being outperformed by Ukrainian-made drones assembled for as little…

Haye KestelooOct 23

Ukraine

China Floods Russia With 328,000 Miles of Drone Cable While Sending Ukraine Just 72—Fueling Moscow’s Battlefield Edge

China dramatically increased exports of fiber-optic cables and lithium-ion batteries to Russia over the summer, sending 328,000 miles of cable in August while Ukraine received just 72 miles—a 456-to-1 disparity that’s helping Moscow overwhelm Ukrainian defenses with jamming-resistant drones, reports The Washington Post. The explosive growth in Chinese component exports to Russia—fiber-optic cable

Haye KestelooOct 15

FPV

The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.