Drones on the frontline: Amazon gadgets exposing battlefield tactics
Drones have become integral to the modern battlefield, but improvised constructions have drawbacks. The opposing side tries to exploit these, even relying on gadgets available on Amazon. Here, we discuss what the SoloGood FPV Monitor can do.
FPV drones are very effective and pose a significant threat to soldiers. However, they have limitations as substitutes for professional solutions such as anti-tank guided missiles, guided artillery ammunition, or professional loitering munitions.
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 interception, such as video transmissions from drones by the enemy. This exposure lets the enemy know where they might be attacked and gives them time to hide. This occurs because the image is not encrypted by default, unlike military constructions, where competent individuals with the right equipment can intercept the video feed.
In the video below, a Russian soldier uses an Amazon SoloGood FPV drone detector, available for £60-£120, 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 this new threat, personal drone detectors with a range of about 1-2 kilometres are becoming very popular in military variants similar to walkie-talkies. These devices are solely receivers of radio signals in the broadest possible range, informing the carrier, for example, of drone activity 0.8 kilometres north of their position.
Such solutions work perfectly in tandem with kinetic means of combating drones, such as modules mounted on rifles with a range of 200-300 metres or 400-500 metres, depending on the calibre—another quite effective method, although with a much shorter effective range, is smooth-bored shotguns.
Another alternative to military equipment is commercial solutions, such as the SoloGood FPV Monitor detector used by Russian soldiers. This detector can intercept a 5.8 GHz signal and operates for 3 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 data storage with memory cards.
