Compass Points - Drone Tech Updates

Adjustments to FPV Drones

Compass Points - Drone Tech Updates

Adjustments to FPV Drones

June 25, 2026

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Military technology never stands still. When a new technology arrives, the new technology often seems unstoppable, incredible, and transformative. No matter how powerful the technology seems at first, however, counters are created, defenses are invented, and tactics, techniques and procedures are adjusted.

Aerial drones are an example. It is has been said many times that small First Person View drones have transformed warfare. While FPV drones have been a remarkable innovation, still one innovation leads to another.

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With respect to next-generation drones, advancements in air defense technology do not remain static while drone technology evolves to enhance offensive capabilities. Recent developments underscore several promises and advancements in air defenses, particularly against UAVs. Unlike current UAVs, even if future drones become fully stealth, advancements in sensor acuity, multi-sensory connectivity, big data and machine learning, AI-enabled multi-static radars, can enable accurate radar returns and possibly even defeat stealth technology. In this light, excessive reliance on unmanned systems to support offensive capabilities could be risky and compromise air-superiority.

— ISDP

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The fighting in Ukraine has been a laboratory for the the strengths and limits of FPV drones. Adjustments are being made.

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A Ukrainian Abrams tank named “Lucifer,” operating with the tank battalion of the 160th Separate Mechanized Brigade, has been photographed with an extensive set of modular anti-drone cage structures fitted to both its turret and hull, offering a close look at how Ukrainian crews are adapting one of America’s most advanced main battle tanks to survive a battlefield defined by cheap, lethal drones.

The 160th Separate Mechanized Brigade, a mechanized unit formed in June 2024 as part of Ukraine’s expansion of ground forces, published the images, which show the tank’s distinctive Australian-origin markings alongside the locally fabricated protective additions.

. . . What makes the “Lucifer” photographs significant is the design of the cage modifications. Rather than the simple flat-roof structures seen on earlier Ukrainian armored vehicle adaptations, the caging on this tank uses a modular architecture that allows the turret to rotate freely while still providing overhead protection, a crucial engineering challenge that simpler cage designs often fail to solve. Cages that lock the turret in place to protect the roof defeat the purpose of having a main gun, so the modular approach, with separate sections protecting the turret independently from the hull side and rear panels, preserves the tank’s combat utility while addressing its most exposed vulnerabilities. The side and rear hull sections receive their own protective panels that shield against attacks from the lateral and rear arcs, the angles from which FPV drones most commonly approach armored vehicles.

-- Defence Blog - “Ukrainian crews are rebuilding Abrams tank to fight today’s war”

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Ukraine’s military is also defending against drones with interceptor drones.

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Interceptor drones became a critical layer of Ukraine’s air defense, proving highly effective in destroying Russian Shahed attack drones. A Ukrainian drone pilot, who recently set a world record by downing 2 Russian Shahed drones from 500km, stated in an exclusive interview released by Army Media on April 17.

A pilot with the callsign “Hulk” said his crew has been actively operating since November, while the unit itself has been in action since the summer of 2025. Since then, the unit destroyed around 200 targets, including 184 Shaheds.

The crew’s record stands at 20 Shahed drones eliminated in a single day, with 17 of those intercepted in just an hour and a half.

“It’s extremely difficult to achieve that kind of number now. You have to approach the warhead with precision to destroy it in the air, so that at most only the engine reaches the ground, which basically doesn’t detonate,” the pilot explained.

-- Ukraine Today

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Military technology never stands still. When a new technology arrives, the new technology often seems unstoppable, incredible, and transformative. No matter how powerful the technology seems at first, however, counters are created, defenses are invented, and tactics, techniques and procedures are adjusted. A Heritage study, “Countering the Drone Threat” concluded, “Despite some claims to the contrary, drones have not revolutionized every aspect of warfare, and traditional systems—such as armor, manned warships, and fighter jets—will continue their prominent roles in military operations.” Drones are a powerful technology tool, but only another tool. When the next 9-1-1 call comes in, the US Marines will need some FPV drones as part of a fully enhanced and upgraded combined arms, global expeditionary force that can not only fly some drones, but can deter, assist, rescue, strike and fight.

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ISDP

Limitations of Drones and the Future of American Air Superiority

https://www.isdp.eu/limitations-of-drones-and-the-future-of-american-air-superiority/

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Defence Blog - 06/12/2026

Ukrainian crews are rebuilding Abrams tank to fight today’s war

By Dylan Malyasov

https://defence-blog.com/ukrainian-crews-are-rebuilding-abrams-tank-to-fight-todays-war/

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Ukraine Today - 04/17/2026

Ukrainian Interceptor Drones Tear Through Russian Shahed Swarms With 95% Kill Rate

https://ukrainetoday.org/ukrainian-interceptor-drones-tear-through-russian-shahed-swarms-with-95-kill-rate/

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