In The News

Samuel Bendett says, "Multiple Russian volunteer, state and affiliated manufacturing efforts have significantly ramped up FPV development and shipped large quantities to the front."

Samuel Bendett says, “From the capability’s standpoint, Russia started the war with large-scale defenses along the entire line and those defenses have held the Ukrainian counteroffensive. “

Samuel Bendett says, “Because of so many drones operating in the air, both surveillance and first-person-view ones, moving around has become very difficult for both sides.”

Samuel Bendett says that Russia's FPV development has probably "grown exponentially," although it is difficult to determine how many FPV drones are present on, and above, the battlefield.

Samuel Bendett says that Russia’s substantial monthly production of FPV drones, which has likely reached an exponential growth. While precise figures are difficult to ascertain, the observable increase in drone activity over battlegrounds indicates that Russia’s FPV drone capabilities are expanding.

Samuel Bendett says, “We are seeing more MoD involvement - soldiers are getting trained, there are more FPV piloting schools opening up across the country, the military is definitely interested in keeping this going.”

Samuel Bendett says, “We’ve seen it first with the use of the Chinese-made quadcopters, which were purchased in large quantities, and now we’re seeing it with FPVs which are manufactured by the many thousands every month by each side.”

Samuel Bendett says that it is difficult to control the trade flows of civilian microelectronics with military applications, and it is these dual-use items in particular that Russia takes advantage of.

Samuel Bendett says that experts have placed the number of FPV-type drones flying in Ukraine “in the many thousands per month.”

Samuel Bendett says, “Cheap drones being ubiquitous and available across the entire front means that any movement of personnel or weapons systems is going to be observed, tracked and potentially struck.”

Samuel Bendett says, "This year was critical to the Russian efforts to field this tech in large numbers, and an even bigger effort should be expected in 2024."

Samuel Bendett says, "The Russians have a specific model which addresses a lot of requirements in battle and that's a relatively capable system that keeps getting improved which is why the Ukrainians are now publicly saying that it's dangerous."

Samuel Bendett says, “Chief of Staff Valerii Zaluzhnyi interview with the Economist was very detailed and was very honest. He did speak about the need for another set of weapons and systems to break out of this positional warfare and the stalemate that the Ukrainians and Russians are finding themselves in right now. “

Samuel Bendett says that the TB2's vulnerability to more advanced air defense systems was evident before the outbreak of full-scale war in Ukraine.

Samuel Bendett says, “The Russian sources are reporting that Ukrainian soldiers are attempting landings near or across the Nupoor River. There has not been a lot of change again. This is the statement that we repeated for weeks because it is difficult to attack lines that are entrenched and well-defended.”

Samuel Bendett says, “Both sides in the Ukraine war are supplying many thousands of them per month.”