Ukraines Paper plane drone war

Cardboard drones made from lightweight foam board and assembled with rubber bands are being used in the conflict in Ukraine. Despite their low cost and seemingly fragile construction, these drones have proven to be effective in reconnaissance, delivering supplies, and even as kamikaze drones. They have successfully targeted high-value Russian assets and disrupted supply lines. However, they do have limitations, such as slower speed and inability to carry heavy payloads. The Russian military is actively working on countermeasures. It's an ongoing game of innovation and adaptation in modern warfare. Cardboard. Yeah, you heard that right. We're talking about the stuff Amazon boxes are made of, being used in a war zone. Really gets you thinking outside the box, huh? It really does. I mean, it sounds crazy, but that's what we're diving into today. The Corvo PPDS. It's this cardboard drone that's making waves in the conflict in Ukraine. Origami of death. Exactly. That's its nickname. But more on that later. First, picture this, all right. A drone, roughly the size of a shoe box. Okay. Okay. It's got a wingspan of over six feet. It's built from lightweight, wax-coated foam board, the kind of stuff you'd find at any craft store. Wow. And here's the real kicker. It's assembled using rubber bands. Rubber bands. It sounds more like a high school science project than a piece of military tech. Right. But I'm serious. This thing is a game changer. So what are we talking about here? How effective can a drone made of cardboard actually be? Isn't a, I don't know, a stiff breeze send it off course? Well, that's the thing, right? It's all about challenging those assumptions. And that's where the origami of death nickname comes in. Because as low tech as it sounds, this thing's making a real impact. All right. So walk me through this. What makes the PPDS so special? It's all about simplicity, really. Simplicity. Yeah. You see, typical military drones, they are expensive, complex. Yeah. And they rely on these constant data links, right? Right. And they're vulnerable. Vulnerable how? Jamming. You know, jamming. Yeah. You know, the enemy blocking the signals that control the drone. Oh, right. Plus their size, the materials they're made of. It makes them easy to spot on radar. Okay. So these fancy drones are basically sitting back for any kind of electronic interference. Exactly. But the PPDS, this thing flies under the radar, literally. Under the cardboard. Exactly. Yeah. The size, the shape, the construction material. It's like trying to find a, I don't know, a paper airplane. A paper airplane. Yeah. Flying across a football field using, you know, using a radar. Oh, I see. And even if jamming disrupts its GPS signals, it can still navigate. No kidding. And complete its mission. Wow. So it's like this low-tech, high-impact kind of a situation. Exactly. Okay. But you haven't even gotten to the best part yet. Oh, you're talking about the price tag. I am. How much could one of these things actually cost? Between $670 and $3,350. Seriously? That's less than a used car. I knew those traditional military drones were pricey, but I had no idea it was such a difference. That's a huge difference. That's got to be huge for Ukraine's military strategists. Huge. I mean, that low cost means they can deploy the PPDS in large numbers. Overwhelm enemy defenses. Right. Overwhelm enemy defenses, make up for any losses, you know, with sheer volume. Sheer volume. It's like a, what is it, swarm of bees or something. Exactly. Wow. So we've established that these cardboard drones are cheap, stealthy. They are. But what are they actually being used for in Ukraine? Well, initially the PPDS, it was designed for, believe it or not, reconnaissance and delivering supplies. Makes sense. You know, it's small size, quiet operation. It's perfect for slipping behind enemy lines, you know, unnoticed. Yeah. They could be used to deliver medical supplies. Wow. Ammunition. I see. Or delivering blood to troops on the front lines. Delivering blood. Yeah. With a cardboard drone. It really highlights the ingenuity, right? Absolutely. But of course, as you can imagine, the Ukrainians, they quickly realized the PPDS' potential. Yeah. It extended far beyond, you know, its intended uses. Oh, for sure. I bet they, I mean, they started adapting it for combat pretty quickly. Right. Exactly. So how are they, I mean, how are they using these cardboard drones offensively? Well, one tactic involves attaching explosives. Oh, wow. Turning them into highly effective, I mean, if somewhat morbid kamikaze drones. Kamikaze cardboard drones. Okay. This is where it goes from, you know, kind of interesting to like really terrifying. What kind of targets are we talking about here? We're talking about striking high value targets deep within Russian territory. For instance, remember those attacks on the Kursk and Ska air bases? Oh, yeah. Back in August 2023. August 2023. Yeah, those were PPDS drones. No way. Oh, yeah. They managed to damage, even destroy several Russian fighter jets. I remember seeing those photos online. Weren't some of the, weren't some of the Russian soldiers piling like tires on top of their aircraft? Yeah, they were trying to protect them, you know. How? For times, right? That's the most comical, like something out of a, you know, a cartoon or something. Well, it just goes to show you the unexpected psychological impact. Yeah. I mean, imagine being a Russian pilot, right? Right. Witnessing a cardboard drone, something, I mean, seemingly so insignificant, taking down, you know, a multimillion dollar fighter jet. Yeah. It completely changes your perspective. Forcing them to, you know, dedicate resources, time, manpower, all that to countermeasures that, I mean, they probably never even thought they'd need, right? Yeah, exactly. Speaking of resources, you know, I was reading that the PPDS is also being used to target, you know, Russian supply lines. That's right. Things like that. It's a classic example of asymmetric warfare. Right. Where a less powerful force utilizes unconventional tactics to, you know, level the playing field. So we've got stealth, we've got versatility, we've got psychological impact. Yeah. Disruption of supply lines, and all at a fraction of the cost of, you know, traditional weaponry. Makes you wonder. Right. Is cardboard, like, on the verge of replacing steel as, like, you know, as a major player in modern warfare? So we've got stealth, we've got versatility, we've got psychological impact, disruption of supply lines, and at a fraction of the cost of, you know, traditional weaponry. Yeah. Makes you wonder, is cardboard, like, on the verge of replacing steel as, like, you know, as a major player in modern warfare? Well, it's, you know, it's definitely, it's definitely got people talking. I mean, it challenges a lot of those old ideas about military tech, right? Right. That said, you know, as, as incredible as it is, the PPDS does have, you know, it has its limitations. I mean, it's slower than, you know, it's slower than other drones, and it can't, you know, carry those heavy payloads. Sure. Sure. I mean, so more of a, like, a scalpel than a sledgehammer, then. Yeah. Yeah. That's a, that's a good way to put it. And, and, you know, it's, it's also important to remember that, you know, that Russia, they're not just sitting around, you know, they're, they're actively working to counter the PPDS threat. They're deploying those, you know, those really complex electronic warfare systems, like the Krasukha-4. The Krasukha-4. Yeah. It's designed to, like, disrupt those drone communications over a really wide area. Wow. So, like, a high-tech shield against a, you know, a cardboard sword, in a sense. Something like that. Yeah. So, it's, it's like this constant game of, you know, of innovation, right? Yeah. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. 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