Next evolution, carrier drones. Larger fiber drones that carry smaller radio drones and can also act as a repeater when needed.
this post was submitted on 23 Apr 2025
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So basically we need a REALLY big wall
Multiphasic drones capable of passing through solid material are next!
This kind of idea is between genius and stupid.
It's a cheap an easy solution to a lot of problem, and it sounds like the kind of proposal an intern would do
Sure, but a 20km attack radius in terms of something that can fly seems... Idk less than effective.
It would work for precision bombing nearby targets, but for long range strikes like Ukraine does, they need to be untethered.
But in those cases, i doubt they run remotely, rather they set a GPS destination and they use a combination of astral navigation and inertial navigation to hit their intended target, just like missiles.
Just much slower, smaller and lower flying missiles. Can't shoot what you can't see on radar.
They are generally tactical weapons, not strategic.
It's neither, they're spare wire reels for older tow missiles which were wired for the same reason.
TIL thanks,
I heard about wired torpedo but didn't know it was also a thing for missiles
Yep, still used in combat too and chances are you've seen a video and just didn't know.
Anytime you see a video filmed from behind a missile and it keeps making smingly random swirling jinking movements it's likely to be a tow missile.
Curiously, the first wired torpedoes, you'd propel the torpedo forward by pulling on the wire that came out the back of it.
Drone manufacturer: "We're having trouble with our drones getting jammed, any ideas?"
Intern: "I always use CAT6 for my pc"
Drone manufacturer: "You goddamn genius!"
Kids these days relying on wireless everything and don't realize the security and reliability of a wired connection.
This has been going on for a few months now. Why is this a "new threat" ?
There have even already been battlefield videos where you see tons of fibre optic in the air.
On the scale of human warfare, "a few months" is pretty new. Frankly, its fairly new on the timescale of the Ukraine war at this point.
What does that look like? Can't imagine what tons of fiber in the air looks like, do you have a video you can share with the rest of the class
Imagine walking into a spider's web, and you couldn't just wipe it off your face.
It's a minor concern when a nation's existence is on the line, but I do wonder how all those wires will affect the fauna and environment.
I do wonder how all those wires will affect the fauna and environment.
I have actually no idea what the effects would be here. But when this land gets reclaimed by Ukraine they'll need to clean it up regardless. There's mines and other explosives, burned out cars, and even dead bodies to clear.
that is a newer threat
Wouldn't the fiber lead directly back to the pilot, though? You'd have to constantly be moving locations, otherwise they could just follow the wire.
Edit: I know, I know, the more I've thought about it--and despite them actually proving it's possible to do as mentioned in the article--it's just not very practical to do in many situations. As one commenter mentioned below, after seeing pictures of some trees, numerous drones create a web among trees/bushes/etc. So tracing lines when drones are launched from multiple locations would be extremely difficult and they could even set up ambushed at certain points if they saw enemy scouts doing it.
This is not new tech. We have been using wires like this in the battlefield since the 70's. I was a TOW gunner and shot plenty of missiles that have a wire like this drone. Except, ya know it's a missile and it moves significantly faster. TOW stands for Tube launched Opitically Wire guided missile.
Ask away if you wanna know anything about em.
Would you rather have had wire drones over your TOWs?
Or just knee replacements
Already had the back replacement thank you very much lol
Edit: sorry to answer your question. Nope, ill take the missile. A drone coming at you is slow (in relation to a missile) and doesnt have a lot of explosives, other enemies will think they have a chance. You see a missile take someone out, I promise you, that you wont stick around to see it again.
I'm guessing the wired break down quickly?
Naw, that shit was super strong. If you caught your boot and pulled it would slice clean into your boot. But it was fragile enough to be cut with scissors. A little thicker than a strand of hair.
Lol, I doubt it. I'm guessing 1,000-2,000 years.
What kind of comms do the wires allow? Sending guidance and simultaneously receiving video?
What was the physicality of wires back then (and do you know what they are today)? Would it feel like walking into a spider's web, or how sturdy were/are those wires?
How often would a write break, and would that mean total loss of control or is there some form of fall-back?
Curious minds want to know! Thank you.
People who play War Thunder want to know lol you can actually find cut outs that show the internals online. The TOW has been around for awhile.
But the wires were for X and Y navigation. Theres an IR beacon that flashes out the back of the missile. The camera sees the beacon and when you move the controls the missile will follow. Theres a Russian T90 tank that has a defense system that spoofs the beacon. Looks like headlights, called the Shtora-1 check it out.
Wire was made out of the thinnest, strongest metal I've ever seen. It would cut your boot if you snagged it and pulled, but it could be cut with scissors.
If you lost a wire the missile would go erratic and would lose control depending on which wire was lost. Really depened on what youre trying to shoot over if you broke a wire. Can't shoot over buildings.
My favorite fact though, it flys above the tank! Search YouTube for a slow mo and you'll see what i mean. Explodes from above.
Well, since we've got you:
What would be the minimum reasonable distance to use a TOW (with accompanying operator control) vs something unguided (either the TOW or otherwise)?
Ooo minimum? Dont recall that exactly but I do remember the mechanism that arms the missile is activated by G force. Missile has to fly for a bit before it arms.
Second part of your question is pretty loaded. Theres tons of unguided systems that have wildly different arming mechanisms.
Really what you care about is stand off distance. Can I hit my enemy with my missile before they can get into range to shoot me?
From the article :
There are examples of drone operators from earlier this year being able to trace the cables back to the positions from where they were launched and target the enemy crews. But if this technique was a successful one, fibre optic drones would have disappeared as soon as they appeared on the battlefield, when – from presidents to workshops – all the talk is of increasing numbers.
It's real long, like miles of fairly small transparent cable.
Could have controller-> radio -> base station-> fibre —> drone
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