Low-Tech Drones – 1, Kursk Airfield – 0 (Allegedly)
By John Oncea, Editor
Ukraine claimed it struck five Russian fighter jets in a kamikaze drone attack on the Kursk airfield in Russia, approximately 100 miles from the Ukrainian-Russian border. The drones in question are made of “waxed cardboard and rubber bands” by an Australian engineering company.
The Ukrainian military reportedly used more than 15 Australian-made cardboard drones to attack the Kursk airfield, which is about 100 miles from the Ukrainian-Russian border. The drones alleged to have been used in the attack – Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System (PPDS) drones – are made of waxed cardboard and rubber bands by Melbourne, Australia-based SYPAQ and were shipped to Ukraine in flatpacks.
Verification that the PPDS drones were used in the kamikaze-style attack, however, is still unknown as a SYPAQ spokesperson declined to comment on their usage by the Ukrainian armed forces.
What We Do Know
The EurAsion Times reports the PPDS drones are, “Constructed from waxed cardboard … simple to assemble, and are launched via a catapult, offering a flight range of approximately 75 miles. “They aim to transport ammunition, food, and medicine directly to the front lines. Furthermore, these drones are versatile enough to conduct reconnaissance flights and even deploy small explosive devices if necessary.”
Using GPS guidance whenever feasible, PPDS operates autonomously. However, when GPS signals are obstructed, the control software can determine its position based on speed and direction enabling the drone to execute missions even when faced with comprehensive radio interference. This is a must-have feature in Ukraine, where Russian electronic warfare has allegedly targeted and neutralized numerous drones.
Were They Or Weren’t They?
“While the initial purpose of these drones was for battlefield intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, it appears they are now being used for attack missions,” reports TS2 Space. “The drones can carry up to 5 kilograms of cargo,” including explosive payloads.
The Sydney Morning Herald adds, “A prominent Telegram channel run by a former Russian fighter pilot, known as Fighterbomber, said that the drones used in the attack included the distinctive lightweight drones made by Australian engineering company SYPAQ in Melbourne.”
The Herald further quotes Fighterbomber as writing, “[Ukrainians] used them in a swarm, mixing drones with warheads with empty drones. I don’t know exactly what engines were on the drones, but if they were electric-powered, then they were not launched from Ukraine.”
Due to their lightweight nature, the drones are well-suited to breach Russian air defense systems. If they were used in the attack, they were effective as well, hitting “’four Su-30 aircraft and one MiG-29’ at the facility, as well as damaging two Pantsir missile launchers and the radars of an S-300 air defense system.” Russian reports indicated there were a minimum of 13 explosions.
PPDS drones are estimated to cost a few thousand dollars per unit and, if the Kursk attack proves true, their use as an offensive weapon marks a pivotal juncture in modern warfare as cardboard drones managed to damage valuable Russian aerial assets. Future scenarios, according to journalist Noah Smith, could result in “fleets of dirt-cheap autonomous cardboard drones that don't reflect radar, can't be brought down by EW, and carry enough ordinance to destroy a tank.”