Ukraine could soon be flying first-person view drones with simultaneous fiber-optic and radio links, allowing operators to maintain control even if one channel loses connection.
Details of the concept were shared by Armed Forces of Ukraine platoon commander Tetyana Chornovol, showing test footage of a drone relaying synchronized video feeds while being controlled through both optical and radio channels.
In one test, a disrupted fiber-optic link was reportedly restored after the drone had traveled about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles), with control maintained via radio waves.
Chornovol credited platoon engineer Victor Trach as the developer of the system, which she said costs only 2,500 Ukrainian hryvnia ($57) more than a standard optical drone setup.
The system is currently under refinement, with Ukrainian defense firm General Cherry providing 10 initial prototypes for field testing.
Tactical Use Cases
Chornovol noted several unique cases in which the dual-control setup proved useful.
In some flights, the fiber connection remained stable throughout, while in others it failed mid-flight, prompting a switch to radio control to allow the mission to continue.
She also noted its behavior under electronic warfare conditions, saying that while jamming could disrupt individual links, the presence of a secondary channel provided an opportunity to recover control and complete the operation.
“In principle, this technology is proven. And the cost is comparable to existing solutions,” Chornovol stated. “How many optical drones that lost their fiber connection could have still reached their target with this system?”
