Why Russians Are In Despair Over Truck-Busting ’Martian’ DronesUkrainian medium-range drone strikes, hitting targets at 7-120 miles, have ramped up sharply in recent months. In particular, so-called “Martian” drones are prowling the roads, seeking out and destroying fuel tankers and other vehicles carrying military supplies. Previously safe areas are at risk, and supply lines are threatened.Quadcopter FPVs dominate the so-called “grey zone” around the front line, and have made conventional battlefield logistics impossible. Back in 2023, the small drones started destroying any truck or van within several miles of the front, often in high-speed chases. Now resupply is by motorbike, ground robot or drone or in the case of Russia, carried on the backs of unfortunate soldiers known as camels.
Straight outta killbot news:The drone has an AI-enabled vision system to lock on to a target. High-quality optics identify and track targets from long range.But the biggest technological innovation is the Martian’s communication system. The Russians say that it has a digital modem which hides its communications in civilian Wi-Fi traffic at 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz, using a non-standard encrypted signal. [...] The Russians believe the drones use a mesh radio, so each Martian acts as a relay for other drones, creating a covert communications network behind Russian lines.
Ukrainian sources suggest that the drone has a seven-foot wingspan and cruises at around 60 mph. The cost for the basic version is said to be around $6,000, up to double that for more advanced versions, which presumably sport better communications, sensors and AI.
Its range is unknown but is clearly over 80 miles.
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