Russia loaded its cheap ‘Molniya’ strike drones with extra batteries and high-def cameras, turning them into recon tools

• Russia has equipped its cheap Molniya attack drone with more batteries and better cameras.

• These modifications allow Russia to use these drones for a new purpose – battlefield reconnaissance.

• Moscow does not need to rely too much on its more expensive reconnaissance drones.

Russia has improved the range and field of view of its fixed-wing Moniya drone, turning a cheap, rudimentary aircraft into a more capable platform that can now conduct reconnaissance and strike operations in Ukraine.

The upgrades have allowed Moscow to rely more on the Molniya (“Lightning” in Russian) for battlefield reconnaissance, replacing more expensive unmanned reconnaissance drones such as the Supercam and Orlan-10.

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry adviser Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov told Business Insider that Russia has been outfitting some Moniya missiles with extra batteries to extend their range, as well as high-definition cameras and mesh modems for better communications.

Monia drones have historically been considered one-way attack drones that carry warheads and explode on impact. However, they have been adapted for other missions, including carrying smaller first-person view (FPV) quadcopters, similar to motherships.

Beskrestnov, a well-known Ukrainian drone warfare expert, said that Russia began using newly modified Moniya drones about two months ago and has since increasingly used them for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) purposes.

According to the U.S. Military Weapons Information Portal, the Molniya ISR model does not have a warhead but is equipped with advanced surveillance electronics, including a microcomputer and a rotating camera with 10x optical zoom.

The improved Molniyas are significantly cheaper than the more traditional fixed-wing Supercam S-350 or Zala Z-16, two well-known Russian reconnaissance drones estimated to cost up to $100,000 each. Inexpensive Molniyas are made from lightweight materials such as plywood, foam and aluminum.

Beskrestnov said Russia could get 10-15 Molniyas for the same price. The saturation of Ukrainian interceptor drones on the battlefield has forced Moscow to opt for cheaper, more expendable assets for reconnaissance and targeting.

He speculated that the shift was due to an increase in Ukrainian interceptor activity.

Dimko Zhluktenko, a soldier of Ukraine’s 413th Unmanned Systems Regiment, said that the modified Molniya drone is relatively easy to manufacture and provides an ideal price for Russia’s reconnaissance missions. He called the efforts a “war of scale” in a social media post earlier this month.

Neither the Russian Defense Ministry nor its U.S. Embassy responded to requests for comment on the progress of the Molniya ISR.

Russia and Ukraine continued to improve their respective drones during the war, trying to gain an advantage before the other could catch up with the technology or develop defensive countermeasures.

One of the biggest changes is the shift from radio links, which are prone to jamming, to fiber optic cables, which are largely immune to electronic warfare on the battlefield.

These fiber optic cables are mainly used to operate small FPV drones. However, Russia has begun using them on larger fixed-wing platforms such as the Moniya.

Russia and Ukraine have further innovated with unusual weapons, in some cases equipping drones with air-to-air or surface-to-air missiles to hunt down aircraft.

Read the original article on Business Insider