For several months, the UAV provided to Ukraine by the Quantum Systems company (Germany) operated smoothly, hovering in the air to detect Russian tanks and troops. At the end of last year, when these machines returned from their mission, they suddenly fell from the sky.
Mr. Sven Kruk, CEO of Quantum, then received a letter from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine requesting him to resolve the problem.
Quantum engineers immediately realized what was happening: The Russian military had jammed the wireless signals connecting the UAVs to the satellites they relied on for navigation. Due to this the UAV lost its way and fell on the ground the new York Times 19 November.
The UAVs were provided to the Ukrainian military by the Quantum Systems company. Photo: The New York Times
To solve the problem, Quantum has developed artificial intelligence (AI)-powered software that acts as a co-pilot. Quantum also adds a manual option so the UAV can land using an Xbox controller. The company also created a center to monitor electronic attacks coming from Russia.
“All we can do is get information from operators, try to understand the cause of the problem, investigate and try again,” Mr Crook said.
A new front is opening in Ukraine, as radio signals are used to intercept communications between UAVs and troops on both sides, as well as to detect targets and deceive cruise weapons.
This strategy, known as “electronic warfare,” has become a game of “cat and mouse” between Russia and Ukraine, quietly promoting tactical changes and forcing engineers to adapt. Doubt.
Anti-UAV guns can jam UAV communications. Photo: The New York Times
According to Brian Clark, an expert at the Hudson Research Institute (USA), electronic warfare affects the Russia-Ukraine conflict as much as weather and terrain. He said all operations on the battlefield must now take into account potential enemy actions on the electronic warfare front.
For many Ukrainian soldiers, improvements in UAV technology are not fast enough to deal with the enemy.
“Even if you make the UAV invisible, your controller and antenna still emit signals. It is not possible to hide completely” – an anonymous Ukrainian UAV pilot shared, adding that Russia effectively keeps track of the UAV pilot’s location. Can predict.
This pilot said that there was a time when Russian artillery shells fell at a distance of only 15-20 meters from him.
Engineers from Quantum Systems company assemble a reconnaissance UAV. Photo: The New York Times
