Secret underground lab: How Ukraine's drone wizards outsmart Russian forces
Hidden beneath Ukrainian soil tech-savvy engineers work non-stop to upgrade military drones. Their innovative solutions help compensate for troops shortage while keeping soldiers away from direct combat
In darkness of Kharkiv frontline‚ a red-lit drone named Vampire (which Russian troops call Baba Yaga) hovers silently. Its operators - Artist and Aviator wait in their secret underground spot for attack command; within 15-mins the deadly machine finds its target and drops its anti-tank payload
The 13th Khartiia Brigade of National Guard shows how modern warfare works: “Some say that in Khartiia we dont fight as much but thats because we do the ground-work; 24/7 intel and surveillance to spot enemies“ says Volodymyr‚ a soldier who knows the value of distance-warfare
In a well-hidden underground lab down south‚ Oleksandr (an ex-electrician) leads a team of tech-minded soldiers. They use 3D-printers round-the-clock; modify various drones like the fire-spitting “dragon“ models and work on anti-jamming tech. The team started their own production line this past spring: testing new ideas improving flight-times and making better antennas
- Commercial drones conversion
- Thermal-imaging upgrades
- Battery life improvements
- Signal protection systems
Archie‚ a 26-year old drone expert says: “Well never have more soldiers than Russia or 1000 tanks for every offensive; I believe well win this war because we have brilliant minds developing new technology“ The lab keeps working on next-gen solutions while dealing with military red-tape (which Oleksandr jokes is harder to beat than the enemy)
