The use of First-Person View (FPV) drones by both Ukrainian and Russian forces is marked by relatively low efficiency, with effectiveness ranging between 20% and 40%, according to Robert Brovdi, commander of the separate regiment of strike unmanned aerial systems Madiar’s Birds.

Brovdi, who goes by the alias Madiar, shared his insights during an interview with Ukrinform.

DJI Matrice 300 reconnaissance drones, bought in the frame of program 'The Army of Drones' are seen during test flights in the Kyiv region on August 2, 2022, prior to being sent to the front line. 'The Army of Drones' is a project initiated by the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Digital Transformation which is a comprehensive program in which organisation purchases drones, repair them, and train operators. (Photo by Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP)

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“Electronics may fail, and the drone won’t explode; it can detonate en route; a significant percentage is suppressed by various electronic warfare systems, and some are shot down with small arms. The efficiency of FPV drones in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and among Russians is 20 to 40%,” he explained.

Madiar clarified that this figure specifically refers to instances when a drone successfully reaches its target, delivers the strike, and the impact is duly recorded.

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The regiment tracks these statistics through their own methodology, which enables them to assess drone performance with precision.

“We have our own accounting system at the unit level without any orders from the command. We do this for ourselves. I can review any month, analyze the crew’s efficiency, quantitative and qualitative performance, and the types of targets – whether they are moving or stationary,” Madiar said.

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The commander further emphasized the importance of meticulous accounting, explaining that it allows for a clear assessment of drone and crew efficiency.

This is essential for making informed decisions on resource allocation and proper UAV distribution among different units.

“We can assess the actual number of operational drones to distribute them properly. Some were procured at the beginning of the war and have already lost effectiveness or are technologically outdated. Yet the state continues to purchase them, pilots receive them, but the list of hit targets does not grow,” Brovdi noted.

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