Personal drone detectors: Game-changer in modern warfare
12:52 PM EDT, July 22, 2024
Drones have become an integral part of the modern battlefield, but improvised constructions have their drawbacks. The opposing side tries to exploit these, even relying on gadgets available on Amazon. We present what, for example, the SoloGood FPV Monitor can do.
Being the terror of soldiers, FPV drones are a very effective solution. However, they serve as substitutes for the lack of professional solutions, such as anti-tank guided missiles, guided artillery ammunition, or loitering munitions like the Polish Warmate drones or the American Switchblade.
FPV drones are susceptible to electronic warfare systems, making their operation uncertain. Both Ukrainians and Russians are heavily experimenting with control signal frequencies, but there have been periods of total impotence or dominance by one side's drone operators.
Another issue is the risk of the enemy's interception of video transmissions from drones, which allows them to know where they might be attacked and have time to hide. Unlike military constructions, this happens because the image is not encrypted by default, so competent individuals with access to the right equipment can intercept the video feed.
In the video below, you can see a Russian soldier using a SoloGood FPV drone detector from Amazon, available for a few hundred zloty (approximately $75-$150), to intercept video transmissions from Ukrainian "kamikaze" drones. He can warn his comrades of the threat or help them shoot down the incoming drone.
Personal drone detectors - Mandatory equipment for soldiers in a new war
Due to the new threat, personal drone detectors with a range of about 0.6-1.2 miles are becoming very popular in military variants designed like walkie-talkies. These devices solely receive radio signals in the widest possible range and inform the carrier of, for example, drone activity 0.5 miles north of their position.
Such solutions work perfectly with kinetic means of combating drones, such as modules mounted on rifles ranging from 656-984 feet or 1312-1640 feet, depending on the caliber. Another quite effective method, although with a much shorter effective range, is smooth-bored shotguns.
Commercial solutions, such as the SoloGood FPV Monitor detector used by the Russians, are also an alternative to military equipment. This device allows the interception of a 5.8 GHz signal and can operate for three hours.
The intercepted image is presented on a 4.3-inch display based on an IPS panel with a resolution of 800x480 pixels. Additionally, the device is equipped with a pair of foldable antennas and allows memory cards to be used for data storage.