Ukrainian ingenuity: FPV drones down Russian helicopters in Kursk

Ukrainians continue hunting down Russian helicopters using FPV drones. We present the effectiveness of this innovative use of commercial drones.

During operations in the Kursk region, Ukrainians used FPV drones in a novel way, specifically to target Russian helicopters providing support or transporting aid to the combat area.

The first case of an FPV drone hitting a Mi-28 attack helicopter was reported by Wirtualna Polska journalist Karolina Modzelewska, and now a second known case of shooting down a transport model has emerged. In the photograph below, we can see a crashed Mi-8AMTSh helicopter, which was struck on the tail rotor.

FPV drones have become a substitute for modern guided weapons for Ukrainians and Russians because they allow the creation of a weapon capable of destroying equipment worth millions of pounds at a comparatively low cost of £1,600-£2,400 for the drone and warhead. For example, the cost of a Mi-8AMTSh was estimated at up to £12 million, so £1,600-£2,400 is practically negligible.

To ground a helicopter, it is easiest to hit the tail boom or tail rotor, which counters the torque from the main drive rotor. After its destruction, the helicopter starts spinning uncontrollably, resulting in a crash. Only Ka-52 Alligator helicopters with a coaxial rotor system are immune to such strikes.

The idea is simple, but hitting the target is the problem because helicopters can fly at speeds over 200 kph, which is unattainable for FPV drones. FPV drone pilots must attack their targets from the side in advance. It is not easy, but as we can see from the results, it is feasible and represents a significant problem for helicopter pilots, who usually do not have onboard radars capable of detecting incoming drones.

Only electronic warfare pods creating a specific bubble around the helicopter, for example with a diameter of 200 metres inside which the control signal stops working, can assist here. However, such jammers are not always effective because opponents might have adapted to their operating characteristics or use drones connected to the control station via fibre-optic cables. In the case of such a wired connection, any jammer is powerless.