Perhaps no war in history has been as fast-evolving or technologically sophisticated as the one raging in Ukraine. Over three years of full-scale combat against Putin’s forces, an array of technologies has been tested on the front lines—many now obsolete, some already forgotten. The battlefield shifts almost monthly, sometimes beyond recognition, forcing constant adaptation and the pursuit of ever more effective methods of eliminating the enemy.
Not long ago, drones dominated the war zone, pinning soldiers down and making it perilous to lift their heads from cover. But as quickly as they reshaped combat, electronic warfare systems began to blunt their impact, in some cases diminishing their effectiveness.
Yet the pace of innovation remains relentless. A new shift is already taking hold: drones outfitted with fibre-optic control are delivering striking results. Early trials of fibre-optic FPV drones underscore the ingenuity of Ukrainian operators, who are proving adept at cutting down Putin’s forces on the eastern front.
Speaking to Suspilne News, Captain Yuriy Fedorenko, commander of the Achilles battalion of strike drones within the 92nd Assault Brigade, reported a surge in enemy attempts to deploy armoured vehicles on the Kupiansk front. In just the past six days, four attacks involving tanks, BMPs, and BTRs were repelled, with more than 15 enemy vehicles destroyed. Notably, around 80% of the armoured targets were taken out by drones from the Achilles battalion—a testament to the growing impact of fibre-optic-controlled UAVs on the battlefield.
Fedorenko expects their effectiveness to increase further. “By May, I believe anything within 10 kilometres of the frontline will be primarily destroyed by fibre-optic drones,” he said. “Electronic warfare systems have no effect on them. The enemy tries to shoot them down with small arms, but while our forces have already adapted, the Russians are still playing catch-up.”
The Achilles Inform channel, run by the Achilles Strike UAV battalion of the 92nd Assault Brigade, has even released a dedicated video [the video, in Ukrainian, is included below – ed.] explaining the role of fibre-optic drones on the battlefield. In it, Yuriy Fedorenko outlines their tactical advantages and provides an update on the operational situation in his unit’s sector.
“There are no secrets for the enemy here,” says Fedorenko. “Unfortunately, they are using them as well. But for our citizens who continue to support the Defence Forces, I believe this will be of great interest.”
Holding up an FPV drone, he elaborates: “Inside this spool is a coiled fibre-optic cable, directly linked to the drone’s controller. As the drone flies, this ultra-thin cable unspools, maintaining a constant connection. Movement commands—left, right, up, down—as well as video feed transmission all travel through this cable, making it impervious to modern electronic warfare systems. In short, this drone is resistant to jamming.”
Naturally, fibre-optic drones come with limitations—the length of the cable and their manoeuvrability. A sudden change in direction or an attempt to fly the drone in reverse risks the cable getting caught in the propellers, severing the connection and cutting off the signal. Their range, too, is constrained by the length of the cable on the spool.
This is why Ukrainian manufacturers are working relentlessly—day and night—to refine the design, reducing the weight and size of both the spool and the cable it holds. “I am confident that the first state contracts will be signed at the start of next month,” Fedorenko says. “The Defence Forces will begin receiving them in March, with widespread deployment expected by late spring. By then, we will have the minimum quantity needed to execute combat missions effectively on the battlefield.”
