Russia-Ukraine war: Ukrainian government calls for drone pilots to volunteer for military

During wars, drones are an effective way to monitor situations on land. Portable drone devices with high-quality cameras and a long wireless transmission range are often used for military purposes. Something very similar is happening in Ukraine. Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, the Ukrainian military has called out the drone owners, dealers and pilots to volunteer the government and defence forces of the country. 

Denys Sushko, the head of operations at a drone technology company DroneUA has said in a statement to Associated Press that the company officials are trying to use everything that can help protect their country. Adding to it, Sushko says that drones are a great tool for getting real-time data of the surroundings and distant land. In the current scenario, consumer-grade drones can be used as a tool to track the movement of the convoys of Russian troops and relay them back to the Ukrainian camp. 

DJI drones used by Ukrainian forces to track enemy convoys 

Consumer-grade drones by the Chinese manufacturer DJI are currently being used by the Ukrainian troops for gathering information about the Russian military forces' advancements on land. It is worth mentioning that DJI makes one of the most capable consumer-grade drones that are used for photography, videography and other creative purposes. These devices are equipped with cameras that can capture stabilised video in up to 4K resolution, have a flying time of up to 40 minutes on a single charge. Some models also have heat sensors and night vision capabilities, that may prove to be more useful than others.  

However, the downside to the situation is AeroScope, a platform that allows tracking the location of drone operators. In the wrong hands, this data can be misused. Originally, AeroScope was created for policing and aviation control purposes. A spokesperson from the company mentions that DJI did not anticipate its products being used in a war. Further, DJI has not allowed preferential access to the tool, nor disabled it. This is a potential threat to the safety of drone pilots, especially if they are civilian hobbyists or drone enthusiasts who know how to operate a drone. Stay tuned for more updates related to the Russia-Ukraine war.