Ukraine’s domestically developed Dovbush T10 drone has taken on a brand new function performing as a mothership for first-person view (FPV) kamikaze quadcopters. On this configuration, the T10 additionally serves as a key sign relay node between the extremely maneuverable one-way-attackers and their operators.
Serhii Beskrestnov lately posted video, seen under, of an obvious check of a mothership T10 carrying two FPV kamikaze drones, one beneath every wing, on his Telegram channel. Beskrestnov (typically referred to by the pseudonyms Serhii Flash or Flesh; his first title will also be discovered written as Serhiy) is a Ukrainian servicemember who has been cited as an professional in “radio applied sciences” and different army electronics. He often posts about new uncrewed aerial programs, digital warfare, and different battlefield developments.
Ukrainian “Dovbush” UAV carrying and releasing two FPV drones throughout assessments.
The “Dovbush” UAV is reportedly able to carrying as much as six FPV drones on the identical time.https://t.co/wSS1kfRo3i pic.twitter.com/9vZNVJBF1J
— Standing-6 (Army & Battle Information) (BlueSky too) (@Archer83Able) November 19, 2024
In line with Beskrestnov, the T10 mothership can carry as much as six FPVs at a time. The footage he shared on-line reveals picture-in-picture views because the kamikaze drones are launched whereas their launch platform continues on individually. A single pickup truck seems to be the check goal for each kamikaze drones.
Apparently, the clips additionally present that the drones are held in place the wrong way up beneath the T10’s wings through their small bomb-shaped payloads and that they flip over when they’re launched.
I discover the way in which the FPV is connected to the wing amusing. The bomb acts as an adapter between the mothership and the FPV-Kamikaze. And the FPV itself hangs the wrong way up
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Particular Kherson Cat (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social)
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2024-11-19T22:51:22.863Z
In his Telegram publish, Beskrestnov didn’t present extra particulars concerning the T10 mothership’s capabilities, together with its vary and endurance and the way far the FPVs can attain after launch.
The T10 first emerged in late 2022 configured as a surveillance and reconnaissance platform with an unspecified sensor bundle and a reported vary of just below 22 miles (35 kilometers). The drone will also be employed as a one-way-attacker with a virtually 26-and-a-half-pound (12-kilogram) warhead. In its baseline configuration, the design reportedly prices round $12,000.
The T10’s major mode of launch seems to be through a rack put in on the highest of a pickup truck, which will get it as much as an acceptable velocity to fly off by itself. The way it could be recovered after a mission is unclear. The design reportedly contains a navigation bundle that may fall again not directly on inertial navigation system (INS) steering if its GPS sign is jammed, one thing that could be a main menace on the battlefield in Ukraine.
At its most simple stage, the T10 mothership gives a method to maximize the attain of usually short-range FPV drones by releasing them on the fringe of its personal fight radius. The FPVs additionally achieve additional loiter time, which they may spend on figuring out and/or maneuvering to their targets, and even waving off an preliminary assault run and getting back from a unique, surprising vector.
Placing the sign relay on the mothership orbiting above additionally places that node nearer to the place the FPVs are literally working, making it simpler to take care of connectivity. The graphic under gives a superb visible depiction of the general advantages of this mix.
The T10 mothership isn’t the primary such mixture to emerge on the battlefield in Ukraine, with the Russians additionally using bigger drones as aerial launch platforms and sign relay nodes for FPVs.
Russian forces began utilizing Pchelka drone service in Ukraine.
The UAV is able to carrying and dropping FPV drones from the air.
Furthermore, it additionally serves as a sign repeater, growing the vary of use of drones. pic.twitter.com/MPs0x6R8fW
— Conflict Report (@clashreport) March 21, 2024
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The Russian military began utilizing drone-carrier-and-reaper-drones!
The Drone-type “ mom” was used, which serves as a repeater for the management and video sign for as much as 40 km distance and likewise a carries a number of FPV drones.
Ukrainian sources wrote: “The Russians hit our… pic.twitter.com/mAQ6lix0KX
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) September 16, 2024
The U.S. army and others have additionally been exploring related ‘nested’ uncrewed aerial capabilities exterior of the battle in Ukraine.
Was ready for FPV drone motherships to change into a factor, the DT-300 drone from UK based mostly firm Roton aerospace has a FPV drone mothership model in testing as properly. pic.twitter.com/8vlT9lSFlW
— Mad_mechanic911 (@Madmechanic911) November 19, 2024
The introduction of synthetic intelligence (AI) pushed capabilities into the equation, one thing that’s already taking place in Ukraine, could supply a brand new and particularly important step ahead for FPV kamikaze drones, usually. AI-enabled concentrating on capabilities can be an enormous boon for FPVs, particularly within the terminal part of flight, the place human operators presently need to manually discover targets and steer the drone into them. You possibly can learn extra concerning the game-changing impacts AI is ready to have on drone operations on this Warfare Zone characteristic. Nevertheless, mixing launch platform and sign relay in a single mothership bundle already helps tackle lots of the limitations. AI concentrating on may nonetheless assist in the occasion that the relay is disrupted or the mothership is shot down.
The Russians declare they’ve recovered a Ukrainian FPV with AI goal acquisition and terminal steering.
Lengthy awaited, these jam-resistant drones will hopefully quickly seem incessantly. pic.twitter.com/wARWRySdrL
— Roy
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(@GrandpaRoy2) November 11, 2024
Whereas Ukraine’s T10-based drone mothership is probably not the primary such design to emerge within the battle there, it’s extra proof of the worth this sort of mixture gives already.
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