Defense Express analyzes drone accuracy in hitting targets

He shared this on Espreso TV.

“To hit a specific target, a drone needs to be equipped with accurate strike capabilities or have a guidance system, including the necessary software and hardware to refine the target using a stored image. For example, if a Shahed drone is launched at certain coordinates without additional guidance, deviations can reach several tens of meters. Therefore, if a drone is carrying a small payload and aims to guarantee a hit, it must be highly accurate and capable of homing in on the target,” Riabykh explained.

According to the military expert, UAVs are most effective for targeting large, stationary objects that are highly flammable, like oil depots.

“However, for precise targeting of specific locations, the drone needs either advanced targeting software and hardware or direct control. For long-distance targeting, this is achieved using relay systems, which have a range limit of 100 km,” Riabykh explained.

He also noted that while the drones use an inertial guidance system supported by GPS, Shahed drones cannot access military-grade GPS and instead rely on publicly available GPS signals.

“The error can range from ten meters to several dozen meters. Therefore, to ensure an accurate hit on a specific target, precise guidance is needed during the final part of the drone’s flight,” Riabykh summarized.

• Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Commander-in-Chief of Ukrainian Armed Forces, stated that in the modern warfare realities, the number of drone strikes is on par with artillery, making drones a priority for the army.