Russia develops new drone technology and optical jamming systems

New developments in Russian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology have been identified on the battlefield and through patent filings. Ukrainian defense experts, including Serhiy Beskrestnov, have spotted a new Russian drone that resembles the ‘Lancet’ loitering munition in design but is powered by a gasoline engine rather than an electric motor. This internal combustion engine could potentially offer greater mission autonomy and longer flight durations compared to battery-operated models.

In a separate technological development, inventor Rizvan Ganiev has patented a 1,000-watt optical jamming system designed to counter drones that use cameras for navigation or target recognition. Unlike traditional electronic warfare that disrupts radio signals, this device uses a high-intensity LED matrix to produce rapid, intense light flashes. These flashes are intended to saturate the optical sensors of drones, causing image flickering or false visual patterns, which can disrupt computer vision algorithms used by autonomous or FPV drones.