China unveils advanced FPV drone strike tactics amid global tensions
Countries worldwide are closely observing and concluding the conflict in Ukraine. A key aspect of this war is the use of drones, and China is developing similar FPV drone strike units. Here's a demonstration of their application.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China has released a video showcasing a strike unit using FPV drones. The demonstration took place on a course specifically designed with obstacles. Tasks included attacking other drones with nets, ramming objects in the air, or conducting an attack through a building's windows.
In this scenario, the attack was conducted by multiple drones, with the first one breaking the window to allow the others to fly inside and destroy mannequins with explosions. The footage also shows an attack on a fortified position, such as a machine gun emplacement or a vehicle driver. The entire attack is quite impressive, but each FPV drone had its own pilot.
FPV drones — a new nightmare for soldiers on the battlefield
Racing drones of the FPV type, which stands for First Person View, have become the second most prioritized means of combating vehicles like the T-90M tanks and individual soldiers in Ukraine, after artillery.
Initially, these drones were civilian models stripped of their housing, but over time, mass production using DIY (Do It Yourself) drone parts developed in both Ukraine and Russia. Essentially, what is needed includes a frame, a battery, a control system with an antenna, electric motors with rotors, and a camera.
The result was a drone costing a few hundred dollars, capable of carrying a payload of about 3 kilograms (approximately 7 pounds), like the PG-7VL grenade able to penetrate 50 centimetres of armour. With a larger battery, this allows for a range of about 10 kilometres (approximately 6 miles).
FPV drones — over time they've needed a "cable" or AI
However, over time, both sides developed effective electronic warfare systems that greatly limited their use, leading to the search for alternatives. Currently, there are two active strategies: the cheaper one involves using drones connected to the control station via deployable fibre optic cables. This ensures resistance to interference but significantly limits range.
The other approach involves adding computing systems using artificial intelligence algorithms to the drones, enabling a fully autonomous attack on a target designated by the pilot in the last few tens or hundreds of metres. This is the most expensive solution, but Ukrainians have already achieved promising results.
Defending against such drones is difficult, and so far, no one has a perfect solution in the necessary quantity. It's no wonder that China, with its own ambitions, is developing this, one might say, low-cost precision means of warfare.
