The Economist explains

How drones dogfight above Ukraine

A growing number of drone-on-drone attacks shows how aerial warfare may develop

Ukrainian servicemen launch a drone not far from the Ukrainian town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region on January 25, 2023,  amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Anatolii Stepanov / AFP) (Photo by ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP via Getty Images)
Image: Getty Images

DURING THE first world war, fighter pilots duelled with pistols and rifles. Today, in the skies over Ukraine, a new type of dogfight is taking place—between drones. In October a video emerged on social media showing a Ukrainian drone ramming a Russian one, causing the latter to crash. It was the first known wartime duel between drones. Since then, Ukrainian forces have shared more videos of drone-on-drone attacks. Russian drones are also attacking Ukrainian ones (though information about those is scarcer). How do drones dogfight, and what impact might this have on aerial warfare?

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From the February 11th 2023 edition

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