FPV, converted into one of the most characteristic weapons of the war in Ukraine, are now beginning to spread to other conflicts and into the hands of non-state armed groups, increasing their attack capacity with cheap and difficult to stop technology.
These devices, controlled by pilots using first-person vision goggles, have changed the way we fight on the Ukrainian front. Now, similar scenes are beginning to be repeated in other parts of the world, such as the Sahel o
One of the latest examples comes from Mali, where videos are circulating showing drone attacks against military positions. The images show how a quadcopter approaches soldiers and vehicles before launching directly at one of its targets.
According to the information released, the attacks would be related to insurgent groups operating in the north of the country, including the Azawad Liberation Front and jihadist organizations linked to the Sahel. These militias use drones to compensate for their lower military capacity compared to better equipped armies.
The sophistication of some attacks has caught the attention of military analysts and bloggers, who stand out before the newspaper the technical level shown by the operators. Some voices have even speculated about possible foreign help, although There is no evidence to confirm it.
FPV drones were born as an evolution of commercial devices modified for military use. Unlike traditional models, the pilot controls the flight by seeing in real time what the drone’s camera captures, as if he were inside it.
In the Ukraine war, both Russian and Ukrainian forces They have perfected its use, especially to attack vehicles, trenches or defensive positions at low cost. Over time, both sides also began using fiber optic cables to control some drones and avoid electronic interference that blocked radio signals.
The concern now is that this technology, relatively cheap and easy to adapt, is expanding outside of large state conflicts. And, several experts warn the aforementioned newspaper that the access of armed groups and extremist organizations to these systems can turn them into a threat. increasingly difficult to contain.
