TechPersonal drone detectors: Game-changer in modern warfare

Personal drone detectors: Game-changer in modern warfare

A Russian with a cheap gadget from the internet can watch footage from Ukrainian drones.
A Russian with a cheap gadget from the internet can watch footage from Ukrainian drones.
Images source: © X (formerly Twitter) | Rob Lee

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.

  • Portable drone detector with a range of about 1/2 km depending on electronic warfare activity.
  • A portable drone detector against the backdrop of a larger counterpart.
[1/2] Portable drone detector with a range of about 1/2 km depending on electronic warfare activity.Images source: © Own materials | Przemysław Jurraszek

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.