Fiber-Optic Drones in Ukraine: Evolution, Applications, and Impact
The Knyaz Vandal Novgorodsky fiber-optic FPV drone, built by the Russian volunteer group Ushkuinik led by Aleksey Chadaev, was deployed in August 2024 in Russia’s Kursk region to counter Ukrainian incursions. By late 2024 and early 2025, elite Russian fiber-optic FPV units named Rubicon and Sudny Den operated in eastern Ukraine, carrying spools up to about 10.8 km and achieving ranges of 20–30 km with roughly 80% success at 20 km. In December 2024 Ukraine demonstrated FPV drones controlled via fiber-optic cables to high-ranking officers, presenting more than a dozen domestic models with payloads up to 3 kg. By early