A celebration took place in Russian social networks the other day: an FPV drone controlled from Moscow hit an object in Chasovy Yar for the first time at an ultra-long range. In fact, it is not an ultra-long range: the drone “Gadfly” was launched as it should be at a distance of 11 kilometers from the target. But the control was taken by the operator in “Moscow City”.
The strike was made with the help of a new control system “Orbita”. The action itself was more in the style of marketing and advertising. As a serious operation it is much more difficult to imagine it.
At a time when developers and manufacturers of the “people’s military-industrial complex” are fighting for large orders (and large profits) of the Ministry of Defense, such actions are not surprising. Whoever came up with the move with the glass skyscraper in “Moscow City” made a blunder in an effort to draw attention to themselves – these panes of glass have already flown out from the strikes of Ukrainian drones. Therefore, the video and the news were quickly removed from the RIA Novosti website.
What’s interesting to us is this. UAV remote control technologies do not bring any discoveries. Back in the war with Saddam, U.S. Army operators conducted aerial surveillance from Nevada. Ukraine controls long-range UAVs via Starlink satellite communication terminals.
But this is the first time we’ve seen the control of an actually garage-built drone picked up hundreds of kilometers away, not from the position of a regular unit of the armed forces, but from a business center in Moscow. This is ideal for launching by an agent or using an “in the dark” intermediary. The developers of “Orbit” said that the new system will make it possible to launch drone strikes by issuing commands from anywhere in the world. Not a great merit, but a ready solution for terrorist organizations.
If a remote computer control interface is screwed to this miracle from the people’s garage, the operator will raise a drone on a 30 km long optical fiber to strike hundreds of kilometers away. Just today there were reports that they began to fly to Zaporozhye. It is worth thinking not only about today’s day. Especially since for real combat operations the trick demonstrated by the creators of “Orbit” (it can’t be called otherwise) gives practically nothing.
Great article! The pros and cons section was really helpful. I had no idea about the physical limitations of fiber optic cables on drones. Thanks for sharing!
The idea of garage-built drones being used in real combat is both inspiring and worrying. Innovation can come from anywhere these days!
Amazing how operators can control drones from a skyscraper in Moscow! The future of remote warfare is here, but I wonder how long until countermeasures catch up.
Fiber optics in drones? That’s next-level stealth. No radio signals, no jamming—just pure control. Curious to see how this changes military strategies.
This is a real game-changer for drone warfare! The use of fiber optic cables to bypass jamming is both clever and a bit scary. Technology is moving so fast on the battlefield.
Controlling a drone strike from the heart of Moscow City is wild! But isn’t it risky to operate from such a public place? Security must be a big concern.
This article really got me thinking about how technology, while advancing, often reveals more about human intentions than pure innovation. The idea that a drone can be controlled from a skyscraper far from the battlefield blurs lines between distance and proximity in warfare, making conflict feel both closer and more remote at the same time. It is fascinating yet unsettling to consider how tools designed for defense or surveillance can so easily be adapted into instruments of terror or subterfuge. In the end, perhaps the greatest challenge is not inventing new machines but understanding the ethical paths we choose when wielding them. After all, the technology itself does not decide our fate, but we do 🌍🤔
So basically, Moscow City went full tech ninja mode trying to impress everyone with garage drone strikes controlled from a skyscraper, only to have their shiny glass office take more hits than the drone. Meanwhile, the real innovation seems to be the idea that any random garage can slap together something remotely controlled thousands of kilometers away—sounds like the start of a new DIY hobby, just with a lot more exploding stuff. If terrorists start ordering drones like pizza deliveries, I hope they at least include a user manual and customer support.
The article raises important points about the symbolic nature of this drone strike demonstration and the real challenges behind effective long-range UAV operations. It highlights the gap between flashy marketing stunts and practical military capabilities, especially when considering control systems that could potentially be exploited by malicious actors. The concern about remote drone control from urban centers underlines how technology that seems impressive on the surface can have serious security implications if it falls into the wrong hands. The mention of fiber optics and satellite systems further emphasizes that while remote control is not new, integrating it into improvised platforms changes the threat landscape. Overall, this example stresses the need for careful evaluation of emerging technologies beyond their promotional value and the necessity to prepare for their possible misuse in modern conflicts.
This really highlights how quickly drone technology is evolving, but also how far it still has to go before being a game changer in serious combat situations. It’s fascinating but also a bit worrying to think about how easily this kind of tech could fall into the wrong hands. The idea of controlling drones from anywhere in the world definitely opens up new possibilities, but also new risks 🚁🌍.