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DanielR Profile picture
@DanielR33187703
Oct 28, 2023 • 6 tweets • 3 min read • Read on X
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🧵1. A captured #Russian first-person-video #drone was carrying three charges from rocket-propelled grenades. This is a lot of weight for a small drone to carry. A previous captured drone carried a 4.8 kg explosive.
t.me/serhii_flash/1…
Image
2. These hobby-grade drones were never meant to carry a payload. Instead they were meant to be fast. How are they now carrying such large payloads? Image
3. A casual inspection shows a fairly standard quadcopter drone. The frame is made from carbon fibre and there are a few 3D-printed parts but nothing special. (The video transmitter & ELRS receiver require a closer look but that’s a different thread.) Image
4. However a closer inspection reveals a very simple modification. Each of the arms holding a motor has been reinforced with a rectangular carbon rod. Each rod is held in place with heat-shrink tubing.
t.me/serhii_flash/1…
Image
5. A rod runs the full length of each arm. This is a very inexpensive and easy modification that greatly enhances the performance of the drone. We are seeing more modifications and customizations of drones as the war progresses. Image
6. (ps) I am bewildered why a thread on using heat-shrink tubing got 30,000 impressions. If you liked this, please have a look at my previous posts.

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More from @DanielR33187703

DanielR Profile picture
Nov 26
1. Mystery solved, sort of. Early in 2024 a number of strange drones crashed in russia: a typical wreckage is shown here. I spent a lot of time trying to determine who made these but recently the manufacturer publicity announced this drone 🙃. Regardless, here is what I found. Image
2. It’s not a secret but it is an interesting design. The fuselage is a carbon-fibre cylinder with fancy aluminum bulkheads. Wings and V-tail are composite construction with foam and wood internal structures. This is an expensive airframe compared to some other drones. Image
3. This photo gives an idea of its size. The power & programming ports are visible here. Intact propellers indicate these 2 drones crashed because the engines were not running. There are very nice mounts for the wings & tail fins. Image
Read 20 tweets
DanielR Profile picture
Nov 21
1. Ukrainian cities have been targeted by thousands of russian Shahed-136 (Geranium-2) drones. Although Ukraine has flown plenty of long-range drones into russia, it did not have a drone similar to the Shahed-136. But it might have one now. Image
2. There is no single good photo of this drone so I made this rough sketch to give an idea what it looks like. Conceptually, it is very similar to the Shahed-136. The Ukrainian drone may have a larger diameter fuselage and be a bit shorter but it is hard to be certain. Image
3. In July 2024, one of these drones crashed in russia resulting in a couple of photos. This is the underside of the engine as the drone's exhaust points upwards. The engine has a bracket added that is likely a prop guard. Note the electric start on this single-use engine. Image
Read 9 tweets
DanielR Profile picture
Nov 18
1. A hinge from a Shahed-136 kamikaze drone tells a story. The russians call this drone the Geranium-2. Here, a worker sketched a geranium before the drone was assembled, telling us this drone was likely assembled in russia not Iran. This photo was posted by @ConnieLingus123 Image
2. This hinge appears to be well designed, likely after several iterations of refinement. The overall design is such that the left and right sides are identical or almost identical. This makes production easier as there are fewer unique components. Image
3. Two large plates are probably cut from stainless steel sheet, possibly using a waterjet. There are two aluminum components that are likely made with die casting to avoid expensive machining. Image
Read 6 tweets
DanielR Profile picture
Nov 10
1. Is this captured Ukrainian drone special? A view of the front shows a forward-facing camera and plastic covers but it is otherwise unremarkable. Image
2. A few of the underside of the drone shows a cooling fan. This is somewhat unusual on these small drones. What is the fan for? Image
3. The inside reveals a surprise. There is an artificial intelligence module connected to the camera. The HDMI interface suggests the camera has high resolution. Image
Read 5 tweets
DanielR Profile picture
Nov 8
1. One way to defend against small drones is to capture them. But how does one catch a drone? The folks at Ptashka Drones have developed a nifty net launcher to deal with russian drones that are hovering nearby. It is called the Сіткомет Пташка. Image
2. The internal components are not shown but it appears to use a single cartridge as a source of propellant. To fire the cartridge, there is a spring-loaded hammer that is cocked by sliding a bolt into a slot. A servo motor fires the net by pushing the bolt out of the slot. Image
3. The net is held in a 3D-printed cone that has a plastic cover. Four metal cylinders fire projectiles that are connected to the net. There are different mounts for connecting to different models of drones. Image
Read 13 tweets
DanielR Profile picture
Nov 1
1. Several hundred days of #drone warfare that started with small quadcopters dropping hand grenades have progressed to this monster. This bomb weighs 40 kg and appears to be 3D-printed. Photo is from August, 2024. Image
2. This bomb is heavy and requires a large Baba Yaga multi-rotor drone to deliver it. Of note is the very large bomb release, which was probably also 3D-printed. Note that the bomb & release would require a very large-format 3D printer. Image
3. This drone is a popular design. Note how the bomb hangs below the copter’s landing skids. It’s not clear how many people would be required to deploy this weapon. Also, this drone probably cannot fly far with this heavy payload. Image
Read 5 tweets

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