Drone Wars 4: FPV Drones Dominate Film Sets and Battlefields 

Yes this is the information we need, once again thanks to T-Rex arms for producing actual drone information unlike most of the other 2a channels which seem like children when they speak on the subject.

As a FPV Pilot myself, this war is eating up parts inventory globally and making it hard to get certain hardware like ESCs to name one.

The glider type drones with a pusher prop make almost no noise and have farther ranges. Can be hand launched, or slinshot launched.

I worked for one of the leading FPV drone manufactures in the U.S, trust me when I say.. We have been using FPV Drones on the battlefield well before Ukraine 😅

The first countermeasure is knowing there is a drone operating in your area. An SDR capable of 2.4/5 GHz or frequency analyzer like the TinySA Ultra with an appropriate antenna will show the FHSS of the controller and the video link. Unfortunately there is no publically available database of consumer drone hardware with their signals displayed like on the signal id wiki. Companies have built proprietary databases for their own anti-drone hardware, but nothing open source exists yet as far as I know. Once you have some early warning from picking up RF, I think the next countermeasure is to hide and stop moving. Just like with thermal imaging, movement is going to catch the operator's eye. Despite the speeds these drones are capable of, the operators aren't always going to be going full speed to conserve battery of a one way device, especially if they havent ID'ed a target. I've seen some videos of Russian infantry shooting drones with shotguns they were carrying with them. Certainly not ideal but what other options do we have? If you have some early warning, are able to take cover, can start jamming or at least intoduce more noise into the control and video signals, and maybe are even able to quickly DF the direction the drone is coming from, maybe you could have the shotgun pointed in the right direction to save your squad. It's the only workable thesis I've been able to come up with for a prepaired citizen without dedicated SIGINT assets and AAA with proximity/timed airburst munitions as recently shown by a Rhinemetal anti-drone swarm gun system, which obviously none of us could afford even if they would sell us one. The only other option I've been able to come up with is carrying a yagi antenna with a radio connected capable of producing enough power to jam the control or video system far enough away before the explosive payload is a threat, but this still requires early detection and direction finding, and now one of your guys has to carry a good size yagi instead of a dual use shotgun. IDK, I'm glad T.REX is producing these videos, I hope y'all can give us some more ideas on how to deal with these things on the modern battlefield that is probably coming to our neighborhoods.

This is why Trex labs is my favorite channel. The application of FPV racing drones is fascinating.

Amazing to think you could basically setup the ultimate recon headquarters inside of a backpack and you'd just be limited by battery weight.

“Renewable munitions delivery platforms” got me dying 🤣☠️🤣

A few corrections: 'Return to home' is possible in the latest versions of Betaflight, provided that you have a GPS installed ($10, easy to do). Also, not every drone can take 18650 batteries; they just can't handle a lot of power draw. They're used, but mostly in less agile, long-range drones.

HI, I really love all the drone videos and please continue in doing them. Nevertheless, one off topic - is that a Ruger Mark with silencer and optics on the side of the table? :)

4:43 They carry shotguns, and I've seen people hit some pretty fast targets in Skeet and Sporting clays.

8:55 A large factor holding back the operational range of most FPV equipment is the frequencies they run at. The 5.8GHz range is very common for VTX operation, and these microwaves are easily absorbed by the environment. Additionally, the power that these modules use isn't enough to go very far. I'm interested in how the privileges of a HAM license could be leveraged to improve the range of an FPV. This would allow for much more power than consumer equipment, and allow the use of frequencies that propagate more efficiently. Something like an FPV signal repeater would be more feasible with HAM privileges as well...

Thank you Isaac!

In before 'repeater drones' used to more efficiently hover above terrain to allow fpv operators to direct their drones from outside where their main drone is operating relative to themselves

This is so awesome, love this series. Thanks Isaac

I’m waiting for the new HYTERA drones to be released.. 🤣 T-Rex is always on the cutting edge of tech.

Fantastic video!

Frequency hopping drones?!? Can you explain more on that?? I know what freq hopping is, just curious how it's accomplished between drone and controller?!?

I enjoyed this one and you did great at communicating the reality of FPV.

Crazy! My first big hobby, FPV drones, that I got into over 7 years ago. It lead me to 3d printing, electrical engineering, and so on. Then I got into guns, during the whole Covid mess and riots situation. It's amazing how much more confident I am in the drone world, but I'm astounded to see all of these worlds blending together. Heck, I now use 3d printing to make more firearms related things, than drone things. I excited that I have good experience across the board with drones and printing, need a lot more with guns, and I'm so glad I have something in the mind bank for the future. I'm just terrified that it may be needed in a short time from the present. Thank y'all for some great content

RU-vid has DIY radar How to's. Sounds like a potential defence. Hook a camera that aims at the area and snaps a shot and sends it to your phone.

Great content, pretty crazy how capable some of these diy drones are

Great video bro.

Love the drone content

Another banger episode

JB's home! 10:29

Thanks Isaac!

Cool stuff.

The only thing in this series I have to disagree with (and I've really enjoyed it) is about the goggles. I've been flying RC for about 20 years and FPV for around 10 to 12 years. The goggles are not VR goggles. I would love to have something like the VR headset I'm watching this series on. The clarity and field of view on newer VR headsets are what we dreamed of back in the day, but like everything else, it is getting better.

Coming in hot!

Drone with thermals are scary.

Is there any work into using a relay system to overcome line of sight? Put a long range drone up a few thousand feet into the sky with a signal repeater and you can overcome a lot of LOS issues. Basically copying EWAC usage.

I can see maybe occasionally hitting and wounding or killing a single individual target, but I really question these drones carrying enough ordinance to take out any kind of armor. These drones may go 200mph carrying a tiny camera, but they arent going to hit those speeds carrying any kind of ordinance. If you watch the full video that was excerpted in here, they do indeed target an armored vehicle, but it has already been destroyed. And all we usually see in combat footage is the drone camera going blank as it hits a target and seldom see if any damage is done. The drones I am seeing in most of these videos ain't going to go fast enough with enough weight to do much damage to avoid being taken out by a shotgun. Plus, when carrying any weight, they are loud af. Long range sniping and ieds are still orders of magnitude more effective, and far more likely to be an actual threat.

That F-1 drone could be useful in intercepting drones or cruise missiles shortly before they hit their target.

Question for the drone guys, what kind of controllers are people using in the simulators? Is it worth practicing with a game controller or should I look into drone controllers? Love the videos!

I’m missing the link to the video mentioned at around 2:57. Excited to see the reveal.

Just subed.

I see the batteries they are using on the quads used. They are expensive! 21700 6s 2p is about 200 bucks.

good to see him removing that government drone bug off his chest 4:45. It almost had him.

So if line of sight is an issue when you need range. The tethered drone repeater/antenna idea might work. Like for search and rescue, or scouting in permissive locations (Just don't do it in areas where artillery exists, as they will see where you are).

Any easy way to have the wireless emitter connected by wire to the remote control and goggles? Like a few hundred meters away? Wouldn't want to attract incoming artillery...

Thats the first time anyone called FatSharks cheap

Curious beyond electronic countermeasures if anyone is developing munitions specific for drones beyond standard shotshells…thinking a few chunks of lead and a web of Sypder Wire.

At least you made it through one side

Can be surprising how much Hollywood interplays with Military. Even a Fischer for your camera is otherwise for loading missiles

The future ia now old man!

What atak plug in do you use to control the s2+

I flew fpv way before I ever should’ve. Spend time in the sim and watch a lot of vids on beta flight. Get a tiny whoop

laptop 18650 cells will not handle it you need power tool ones higher discharge rate, 3d printing how many hours do you have to printout that part

Basically never leave your house again if shit pops off and the drones come.

Any apps out there jailbreak dji drones and make it more off grid?

Mention of the battery duration & power consumption reminded me of something... "What is your name?" "Arthur-King of the Britons" "What is your Quest?" "I seek the Holy Grail" "What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" "What do you mean? An African or European swallow?"

New age warfare right here, thanks for sharing

fixed wing fly further and use just one motor

Laptop 18650 batteries are no good for flying, you need high discharge ones and then you not going to fly hard acro, for that only lipo will do.

Nets are the only defense

I promise you these are not “easy to slap together” or “energy efficient” and it takes q very committed individual to learn gow to fly semi decent. No one uses lithium ion batteries unless it’s for very specific situations like low power long range flights. Lipo batteries are the standard.

Sooo… shotgun action not viable?

Humans have javelin capabilities built in by God.

Imagine the fear of trying to out run a high performance drone, which is faster quicker and way more agile. If it sees you, it deletes you.

Imagine repeating mark miley with the that 3 day BS

Trex is based as fuck, they're buying and training and using that for tax right offs, we are doing it as nerds.

drone boi looks like he hasn't seen the sun or slept in years

5 min flight times - a no go for serious recon use

Its DJI NOT DGI

When your phone says your Tesla is in Ukraine or Russia, they only want the batteries. Why else would anyone destroy a Tesla with explosives?

The hobby has already been stagnated by F.A.A. regulation. "If it ain't broke, fix it until it is"!

We should Collaborate. Nice video guys. We are a 10 year fpv veteran channel on RU-vid.⚡️

Note: Kamikaze Drones never get Old.

"On Both Sides..."