Social media has been circulating images of front-line fields covered in a dense network of fiber optic cables.
As the Telegram channel Kronika Voynaya points out, the threads left on the ground represent a physical, almost geological, trace of the new technology.
Modern fiber-optic-controlled drones, resistant to electronic warfare countermeasures, have replaced virtually all FPV drones. Each of these drones trails up to 10 kilometers of cable, and in some cases, as long as 25 kilometers. Hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of these drones are used daily on both sides of the conflict.
Some soldiers collect fiber-optic cables to make fishing nets, although the outcome of this craft is still unknown.
Fiber optic technology in FPV drones:
These drones are connected via optical fiber cable instead of relying on traditional wireless communication.
Optical fibers are used to transmit control data (sending commands) and high-definition video (receiving views) between the aircraft and the operator.
Fiber-optic drones are resistant to electronic jamming and are unaffected by countermeasures such as radio jamming that disrupt conventional aircraft.
It also has ultra-fast transfer speeds, allowing high-definition video data to be transferred without delay.
Cable-transmitted signals are more difficult to intercept than wireless signals.
Its range reached 25 km or more, compared to 2-10 km in wireless aircraft.
- Mechanism of action:
The cable is wound onto a reel fixed at the launch point and as the aircraft flies, the cable unwinds automatically without tangling.
Commands are transmitted from the operator to the aircraft via light pulses in the cable.
Video footage from the drone's camera is transmitted to the ground screen in real time.
