The use of drones and DJI technology for military purposes by Russia and Ukraine has previously been widely reported. Now visible video footage showing the action of civilian drones used for military purposes.
Ukraine claims that civilian drones like those made by DJI are used for reconnaissance missions. But it could be used for more than that. Because DJI's civilian drones can be used to drop small bombs.
This was revealed from the tweet of Ian Matveev, who posted a video of how a civilian drone can drop a small bomb weighing about 350 grams on a group of Russian soldiers.
Matveev's tweet in Russian was excerpted by ChrisO on the @ChrisO_wiki account. Written by Matveev, the bomb used was a modified VOG-17 grenade.
The modification is to add fins and some other parts made using a 3D printer. This VOG-17 is a Russian era grenade measuring 30x120, the effectiveness of which is claimed to reach a radius of 7m.
Weighing around 350 grams, civilian drones for hobbyists like the DJI Phantom 3 can easily carry one of these grenades.
"The modification to the grenade is simple, but from the video it can be seen that (the modification) produces good aerodynamic performance with high accuracy," Matveev wrote on his account.
However, according to Matveev, the VOG-17 only carried 36grams of explosives, and could not inflict heavy damage on war equipment. But Ukraine has plenty of these kinds of grenades, which are usually fired using the AG-17 automatic grenade launcher.
Meanwhile, Chris in his tweet also said that in 2020, Ukraine's PJSC Mayak Plant also tested the use of another drone to drop a bomb modified by the RKG-3 anti-tank grenade with fin mining with a total weight of about 1 kg.
During testing, drone pilots were able to hit a target 1m (3ft) in size from an altitude of 300m (900 ft). At that altitude the drone would have been virtually invisible and inaudible. /9 pic.twitter.com/i3cnjTs7NM
— ChrisO (@ChrisO_wiki) May 1, 2022
In testing, a drone pilot was able to hit a target measuring 1m from a height of 300m. At that altitude, the drone can be said to have lost its shape, or its voice could be heard.
According to him, the effectiveness of this drone is very great. In fact, he also calls this drone pilot like a sniper in the 21st century.
"Even if you use camouflage, in a tent, or behind the front line, a drone equipped with small bombs can attack you at any time. Drone pilots are the new sniper in the 21st century, and may be very feared by their targets," concluded Chris .
Even if you're camouflaged, bivouacked or behind the front lines, a drone armed with a small bomb could be overhead at any moment. Drone pilots are the new snipers of the 21st century, and are likely to be just as much feared by their targets. /end
— ChrisO (@ChrisO_wiki) May 1, 2022
DJI itself has criticized the use of its drones for military purposes. They produce drones for positive things. With capable video and flight technology, DJI drones are used by content creators and other parties, for example to record rare species and other useful things.
"In doing so, we want to reinforce our long-held position, our products are made to improve lives and benefit the world, and we truly regret any use of our products to cause harm," they added.
They emphasized that DJI's products should not be used for military purposes at all. If they find out that their partners are selling DJI drones for military purposes, they say they will immediately cut off the business relationship.
"We will never accept the use of our products to cause harm," DJI added, as quoted by us from DroneDJ.