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I fought in Ukraine and here's why FPV drones kind of suck

(warontherocks.com)
182 points _tk_ | 1 comments | 26 Jun 25 10:11 UTC | HN request time: 0.218s | source
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varjag ◴[26 Jun 25 11:23 UTC] No.44386284[source]▶
This tracks with the earlier ~12% drone kill efficiency estimates. However drone is a mass deployment weapon. Ukraine did about 2 million frontline sorties in 2024 and aims for 5 million this year. This 1 out of 9 ratio translates into absolutely devastating damage, that artillery and airstrikes (which are also hardly "easy to use") can only dream of.
replies(1): >>44386456 #
Neil44 ◴[26 Jun 25 11:47 UTC] No.44386456[source]▶
This is true, but the author also talks about cost e.g. $500 for a drone vs $100 for an artillery shell with far more effect. Surely at the point where the drone has visual on the target you can fire 5 x shells over for massively greater effect on target, and keep the drone flying for the next target, and the next.
replies(2): >>44386520 #>>44389163 #
1. glitchc ◴[26 Jun 25 16:58 UTC] No.44389163[source]▶
Mortar is notoriously inaccurate, while a drone is a precision guided weapon. To compare apples to apples, a drone needs to be compared to other precision guided weapons. Think Stinger or other TOW missiles instead. Those are at least two orders more expensive.