Ukraine’s early adoption of ‘first-person view’ drones tips the scales against an enemy fighting a conventional war.
  • AllonzeeLV@lemmy.world
    212·
    8 months ago

    As an American, fucking good.

    I know this is a horrendously unpopular belief in the selfish, sociopathic civilization we’ve made, where we’re comfortable starving our own citizens for not being good enough capital batteries, but I don’t equate amassing the most capital as making you the most right or most good in a conflict.

    I in fact feel less safe that the biggest guns against humanity’s heads are controlled by the wealthiest, most sociopathic human nations.

    Capitalists are very clear about how little human life means to them in the face of new profit opportunities.

    It’s a small blessing that throwing endless money at war doesn’t necessarily decide every battle.

    • YoBuckStopsHere@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      9·
      8 months ago

      The United States was already designing military systems designed to prevent drone attacks. We expected those types of attacks in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria but it did not occur.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    112·
    8 months ago

    Good for Ukraine. Of course, most of those $2M tanks have been rusting away for years. Russia’s army was in mothballs before this.

  • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
    62·
    8 months ago

    A typical FPV weighs up to one kilogram, has four small engines, a battery, a frame and a camera connected wirelessly to goggles worn by a pilot operating it remotely. It can carry up to 2.5 kilograms of explosives and strike a target at a speed of up to 150 kilometers per hour

    Somehow I don’t think these drones are capable of 150kph/93mph

    • atzanteol@sh.itjust.works
      91·
      8 months ago

      The fastest racing drones hit those speeds. Though without payloads. I suspect military kit could though.

      My low-end mavic mini hits 48kph.

    • iforgotmyinstance@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      8 months ago

      It has a thrust to weight ratio of at least 3:1 if not much greater based on the projected payload.

      The limit is likely the quantity of onboard battery storage. It can hit 80 mph easy, especially since there’s no pesky FAA to police it.

    • astrsk@artemis.camp
      3·
      8 months ago

      I have a DJI Mini 3 pro and the top speed is 36mph unloaded. Granted it fits in the palm of my hand and the motors the diameter of a US quarter. But at the same time, it fits in the palm of my hand and the motors are only the diameter of a US quarter!