This $2 low-tech upgrade just made Russia's cheap 'cardboard-and-plywood' drone almost unjammable

Date:
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:25:00 +0000

Description:
Russia has reportedly added magnetic compasses to cheap Molniya drones, helping maintain direction when electronic warfare disrupts GPS and GLONASS signals.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Russia is adding magnetic compasses to drones affected by satellite navigation jamming The Molniya can use Earths magnetic field for basic directional guidance A camera
periodically checks the compass during the drones flight Russian engineers have reportedly fitted a basic magnetic compass onto the cheap Molniya attack drone to counter satellite jamming.

The modification offers a low-cost alternative when electronic warfare
systems interfere with GPS or GLONASS signals used by many unmanned aircraft. Although the upgrade does not make the drone completely immune to interference, it removes dependence on satellite signals for basic
directional guidance. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: A compass helps the Molniya survive satellite jamming Most drones depend on satellite navigation systems that both Ukrainian and Russian electronic warfare units have spent the war jamming and spoofing.

Unlike satellite navigation, a magnetic compass reads Earths magnetic field directly and does not depend on an external radio signal. You may like Autonomous AI Russian 'Molniya' drone could be using the Nvidia Jetson Orin platform by exploiting a common COTS loophole Japan joins Australia in building cardboard drones and theyre scarily cheap Ukrainian UAV expert
warns US off-the-shelf drones will fail to survive EW, and 'every unit should have their own drone laboratory'

This makes the system difficult to disrupt through conventional jamming,
which targets the signals drones use to determine their position and maintain planned flight paths.

The modification could therefore help the Molniya continue following a
general course after electronic warfare systems interfere with satellite navigation. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners
or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &
Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

According to Ukrainian defence advisor Serhii Beskrestnov, the latest upgrade was done by Skolkovo technologies.

Skolkovo technologies continue to develop. A compass was installed on the Molniya drone, and the camera periodically tilts down to look at it, he said.

The Molniya has also appeared in versions controlled through fibre-optic cables, which cannot be disrupted wirelessly because commands travel through
a physical connection. What to read next Researchers show how Russian satellites can jam GPS across Europe Price of record-breaking Ukraine AI FPV drone slashed to $500 as range increases sixfold to 68 miles Chinese firm selling stealth 'core technology by the kilogram' to make drones almost invisible to radars spray-on coating is almost affordable by F-117
standards, slashes reflected radar power by 50%

Those cables, however, add weight and create limitations for range, payload capacity and deployment flexibility.

Beskrestnov has also reported a Molniya attack involving no control antenna, with an onboard camera and computer handling navigation and target selection.

These developments suggest that the low-cost drone is being adapted through different approaches to reduce dependence on vulnerable communications links. Low cost makes simple upgrades attractive Russias approach to cheaply upgrading the Molniya drones suggests that it is focused on spending less in the war against Ukraine.

The Molniya drones are pretty cheap and are largely made of plywood and aluminum tubing.

This explains why Russian engineers can add simple technologies instead of redesigning the entire aircraft around more expensive navigation systems.

Beskrestnov has estimated that Russia can build 10 to 15 Molniya drones for the cost of one Supercam reconnaissance drone.

The Supercam can cost close to $100,000 per aircraft, according to the estimate, making the cheaper Molniya suitable for modifications that prioritise affordability over sophisticated hardware.

In response to Beskrestnov, Russian military analyst Ian Matveev said, Im
sure in the documents it says: Navigation equipment based on the principles
of Earths magnetism.

His remark captured how a low-cost compass fix can outperform far pricier electronic warfare countermeasures on the battlefield.

However, the magnetic compass does not provide precise satellite positioning, and the drone remains vulnerable to other countermeasures affecting its control, sensors or flight systems.

Via Defence Blog Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/usd2-low-tech-upgrade-just-made-russias-cheap-ca rdboard-and-plywood-drone-almost-unjammable


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)