I’ve been watching a lot of FPV drone footage from the war in Ukraine, and it seems like both sides are using analog systems pretty often. Given how much signal interference I’ve experienced, I wonder why they don’t just use 2.4/5.8GHz jammers to block the drones and protect targets. I assume the military is already doing this, but does anyone know more? Just curious, thanks!
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Analog systems are cheaper, especially for kamikaze drones. Many drones are built using donated parts and local components. You need 5-10 drones for a day’s work.
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Jammers aren’t available everywhere, and they’re not always reliable due to the terrain and other issues with loitering munitions.
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Using a jammer makes you an easy target because it broadcasts a strong signal that can be tracked.
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Jammers overheat and need power, so they can’t run all the time while staying mobile.
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You need a jammer that can cover multiple frequencies like 800-900MHz, 5.8GHz, 1.2GHz, and 2.4GHz for FPV drones. But even then, a smart pilot can still hit the target.
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Frequencies are getting more random and custom, making store-bought jammers less effective.
I’m from Ukraine and have some experience with FPV. Feel free to ask me anything.
@Eli
Thanks for the info!
@Eli
What about using something like a flipper to scan for signals and then automatically trigger a jammer for that frequency?
@Eli
I’m researching this too, not a soldier but I work in IT. I’m trying to understand drone jamming and counter-jamming.
Any idea how Russia jams drones or how they deal with being jammed? What’s Ukraine doing about it?
I’m still learning, so I’ll be checking lots of sources. Any info helps.
@Eli
First, the Russians aren’t great at this, thankfully, but here are a few things to clear up:
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Analog vs. digital doesn’t make a big difference for jamming. All radio signals are technically analog; some just carry digital data.
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Jammers don’t overheat as a rule. They’re just radios, and as long as they’re cooled properly, they can run for a long time. People using Software Defined Radios (SDRs) without good cooling tend to have problems, but real systems use big heatsinks or fans.
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Hopping frequencies isn’t that hard, especially with SDRs. These are available for pretty much anything up to 6GHz. Jamming above that gets expensive, though.
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You can design a jammer that doesn’t just broadcast constantly. It can listen and only jam when needed. The tricky part is making sure you don’t jam your own signals.
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Not knowing the exact frequency is definitely a challenge, but it’s solvable.
@Eli
I’m a volunteer heading back to Kramatorsk soon. I have some questions about drone jammers. Can I contact you via email? Thanks.
@Eli
Are you guys using relay drones to extend the range at all? I used to race FPV drones in the US and I’m rooting for you guys every day. Keep up the great work!
Rian said:
@Eli
Are you guys using relay drones to extend the range at all? I used to race FPV drones in the US and I’m rooting for you guys every day. Keep up the great work!
Depends on the mission. We use antennas and range extenders to reach targets deeper in enemy territory, like 5-10km from the frontlines. Staying further back is always better.
@Eli
Man, flying 5-10km in those conditions is intense. I guess being so close to the ground limits your range no matter the frequency. Stay safe and keep fighting!
@Eli
Do you have any idea how many FPV drones get jammed? Is it closer to 10%, 30%, or 90%?
Josie said:
@Eli
Do you have any idea how many FPV drones get jammed? Is it closer to 10%, 30%, or 90%?
It depends on the situation. It’s a constant back-and-forth game. If we can deliver a few successful strikes, that’s good enough.
@Eli
Hey! My name is Taliesin, I’m in the US. My wife is from Ukraine, and we’re trying to figure out how to stop ‘enemy’ drones that could attack our local infrastructure. Any advice? I have some electronics experience but need to learn fast. My wife’s name is Natasha, and we’re both trying to help as much as we can.
The problem with jammers is that they block everything on that frequency, not just the target.
It’s like trying to block a green light with a big red one. Sure, the green is gone, but now everything’s red, and everyone can see that red light from miles away.
@Rowan
Ah, the ol’ “peek-a-fuck-you” tactic.
@Rowan
Old comment, but you can focus your jammer in one direction so that you only block signals in a specific area instead of everywhere.
Yes, but there are ways around it.
Most kamikaze FPV drones use analog, but I’ve seen Ukraine using Walksnail, which is harder to jam.
Also, 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz aren’t the only frequencies available. There are others, and in a war zone, restrictions don’t really apply. The more options you have, the harder it is to jam the right one.
You can also use directional antennas to only pick up signals from the drone and shield the GPS antenna to block jamming from below.
- Analog is used because of better signal penetration and lower cost. We’re still relying on donations for a lot of kamikaze drones.
- Digital is actually easier to jam.
- GPS isn’t reliable in these areas.
- Ukraine is huge, and there just aren’t enough jammers around.
- Some of our drones use up to seven non-standard frequencies as backups, which makes jammers pretty useless.
@Fin
Thanks for explaining. So private citizens in Ukraine are still donating their own drone builds for kamikaze attacks? I thought the military would have stepped in by now with more official supplies.
@Wynn
Yes, a lot of private citizens donate money to funds that help engineers design and build drones. Most of the kamikaze drones are privately made, around 15,000-20,000 per month. Production is scaling up, and we’re hoping to double or triple that in 2024. The government has only recently started funding drone production.