Latest in Ukraine war: Fibre optic controlled drones

Fibre optic drones are a new type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that exchange radio links for a physical fibre optic cable connecting drone and operator. This direct, physical link offers major advantages over conventional radio-controlled drones, particularly immunity to electronic warfare and jamming—a key vulnerability that has plagued remote-controlled UAVs on Ukraine’s modern battlefield12345.

• : Because communication and video signals travel via cable, these drones are unaffected by electronic warfare tactics like jamming, which both Russia and Ukraine use extensively12365.

• : Video and control signals are high-quality and uninterrupted, providing real-time piloting and clear imagery even at very low altitude or indoors2435.

• : Advanced models can carry up to 10–20 km of fibre, flying and controlling reliably through forests, urban environments, or into buildings that previously blocked or disrupted radio-guided drones2738.

• Russia was the first to deploy fibre optic “first-person view” (FPV) drones at scale, with mass production rapidly ramping up after successful field trials in the Kursk region in late 2024. These drones have devastated Ukrainian logistics and supply routes, and have struck behind the immediate front lines12749.

• Russian drone units use them for close reconnaissance, precise targeting for artillery, and direct attack operations in environments saturated with electronic warfare defenses274.

• Ukraine began widely fielding fibre optic drones in spring and summer 2025, with manufacturing ramping up but still trailing Russia’s deployment scale. The technology is being rolled out in brigades such as the 68th Jaeger and 5th Assault274.

• Ukrainian drone forces highlight the improved safety and effectiveness these drones bring for scouting, targeting, and attacking Russian forces in “jamming zones” where conventional drones fail537.

• The fibre itself can become tangled, snagged, or severed, making long-range use challenging in dense terrain3.

• The physical cable adds weight, which can reduce payload or endurance, and currently limits certain tactical options compared to completely wireless drones37.

• Forces on both sides are experimenting with physical barriers (like netting) and “anti-drone tactics” to defend against low-flying fibre optic drones, but success has been mixed. Cutting the tether midflight is being attempted, albeit as a last resort74.

• : Previously, soldiers and vehicles could use forests or built-up zones to evade drone surveillance. Fibre optic drones now make even these areas vulnerable, restricting both Ukrainian and Russian movement behind the lines2374.

• : Drones monitor and strike resupply routes with impunity, making rotations, deliveries, and evacuations much riskier—sometimes pinning troops in the trenches for 100+ days27.

• : Both sides are racing to expand production, develop longer cables, and integrate AI for improved targeting, seeking an edge in this rapidly evolving drone arms race108.

Fibre optic controlled drones are reshaping the Ukraine conflict by rendering electronic warfare less effective and enabling deadly new forms of scouting and precision strike. While Russia leads in rollout, Ukraine is quickly scaling up deployment. As both sides iterate, new forms of drone warfare and countermeasures are emerging, ensuring unmanned systems will continue to play a pivotal role for the foreseeable future12537489.

1. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/fiber-optic-drones-could-play-decisive-role-in-russias-summer-offensive/
2. https://www.hozint.com/2025/05/fibre-optic-drones-in-ukraine-disrupting-the-electronic-warfare-paradigm/
3. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-fiber-optic-drones-russia/33344310.html
4. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgn47e5qyno
5. https://www.twz.com/news-features/inside-ukraines-fiber-optic-drone-war
6. https://www.forbes.com/sites/vikrammittal/2025/01/19/ukraine-and-russia-battle-to-defeat-un-jammable-fiber-optic-drones/
7. https://kyivindependent.com/as-russias-fiber-optic-drones-flood-the-battlefield-ukraine-is-racing-to-catch-up/
8. https://ts2.tech/en/fiber-optic-drones-in-ukraine-evolution-applications-and-impact/
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwkOxXgAWZ0
10. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-drones-zelensky-russia-war-trump-frontline-b2791411.html
11. https://nypost.com/2025/07/17/us-news/trump-zelensky-discuss-drone-mega-deal-for-us-to-buy-battle-ready-ukraine-uavs/
12. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80p9k1r1dlo
13. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/a-western-funded-drone-surge-could-end-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/
14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySQuj-z2gac
15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jQC-VYHKSw
16. https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5406442-zelensky-mega-deal-us-drones/
17. https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-102/
18. https://united24media.com/latest-news/want-to-test-your-drone-in-combat-ukraine-has-a-platform-for-that-9937
19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSY973xWig
20. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2025/06/06/fiber-optic-birds-nest-heralds-a-fiber-drone-summer-in-ukraine/