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Ukraine’s Fiber-Optic Drones Can Now Hear Russian Troops Talking From 30 Meters Away
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Ukrainian defense manufacturer Ptashka Drones has equipped its entire range of fiber-optic FPV drones with microphones, allowing operators to detect Russian personnel and vehicles by sound, according to Oboronka on October 19.
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The upgrade covers Ptashka drones with operational ranges of 10 to 50 kilometers, all equipped with digital communication systems. As Oboronka reported, the microphones allow operators to monitor their surroundings while drones remain stationary in ambush positions, awaiting potential targets.
According to the manufacturer, the system can detect loud conversations at distances of 20–30 meters, light vehicles at 50–100 meters, and heavy vehicles at distances of up to 200 meters. This enables operators to identify approaching targets through sound without continuously moving the drone or relying exclusively on its camera.
"On the front line, it is important not only to see well, but also to hear," Ptashka Drones wrote on its official Telegram channel, announcing the modification. The company explained that the microphones also provide an additional layer of protection against enemy drones.
As detailed by Oboronka, the technology is designed for drones operating in ambush mode, known in Ukraine as "zhdun" drones. These aircraft can land near anticipated Russian movement routes and remain stationary until a suitable target approaches.
The manufacturer added that operators can hear approaching Russian suicide drones or bomb-dropping UAVs and respond by relocating their aircraft to another ambush position.
The microphone upgrade is not the manufacturer's only effort to counter Russian drones on the battlefield.
Ptashka Drones has also developed a net-launching system for FPV interceptors, which brought down a Russian Molniya-2 attack drone carrying two munitions by entangling it in a 4-by-4-meter net.
The launcher has a maximum range of 30 meters, with 20 to 25 meters identified as the optimal distance for reliably intercepting FPV drones.
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