Forbes: Russia has doubled the range of fiber-optic UAVs
The Russian military has solved the key problem of fiber-optic drones, Forbes writes. Now they are being launched together with repeater drones. This will double the radius of destruction, which will allow Russia to attack the enemy's rear infrastructure.
Vikram Mittal
A year ago, attack UAVs connected via fiber optic cable became a revolutionary solution in the Russian-Ukrainian theater of military operations. This design makes drones absolutely invulnerable to electronic warfare and navigation interference, which are the weak side of conventional radio-controlled drones. The system has two obvious disadvantages: a limited flight radius and the impressive weight of the coil with the cable itself.
However, on the eve of September 21, 2025, the pro-Kremlin militaristic Telegram channel Rybar published the news that the Russian military had solved the key problem of fiber-optic drones. Now each such UAV will be launched together with a monitoring drone repeater.
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Fiber-optic repeater drones
So far, very limited information has been published in open sources about what combat repeater drones really are, but the basic principle of their operation is already clear. The system consists of a larger UAV, which becomes a "repeater", and a smaller attack drone is connected to it via fiber. Due to the fact that the main cable from the operator's coil goes to the relay device, this allows you to control the tension and amplify the signal, which is then transmitted from the repeater to the main combat unit.
A Russian military blogger claims in his article that such a connection scheme allows you to increase the range of damage by fiber-optic FPV drones to 50-60 kilometers, including by redistributing the load on the cable. Theoretically, in the future, it will be possible to launch several repeaters from one such coil at once, increasing fire efficiency.
At the time of launch, both drones, the shock and the repeater, fly together, but the cable coil of the first one is not consumed, since it is connected not directly to the operator's console, but to a neighboring UAV. As soon as the pair reaches the desired point, the repeater remains in place, and the FPV continues to move, seriously saving fiber. Then he finds the specified target and attacks it. "Rybar" writes that after a successful reset, the repeater can return to the operator, simultaneously tightening the main cable so that it can be reused.
The use of repeater drones on the battlefield
Over the past year, fiber-optic drones have become a key element of the Russian arsenal. Having first appeared on the front line, they were used by the army mainly to destroy particularly important targets, in particular Ukrainian electronic warfare installations. By neutralizing these systems, Russia was able to attack the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the main forces of drones with almost impunity.
As the mass production of such drones became cheaper, fiber optics began to be used everywhere, especially in those areas of the front line where large groups of electronic warfare forces are deployed. Now, in combination with repeaters, the range of Russian UAVs will increase significantly — they will be able to penetrate deep into the territory of Ukraine, posing a threat to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Relying on the growing potential of unmanned groups, the Russian army has already begun to create kill zones along the entire front line. In particular, such sites were recorded on the territory of the DPR and in several districts of the Kharkiv region. They make it difficult for any coordinated actions of the Ukrainian forces, and have also become a serious problem for the supply of Kiev units. The depth of the mentioned zones is still limited by the radius of damage to fiber-optic UAVs, however, the introduction of repeaters may well double this radius.
The introduction of repeaters expands the capabilities of the Russian army for attacks on the Ukrainian infrastructure, which is located deep in the rear. This will help to significantly facilitate assault operations on the front line. AFU officers regularly report that Kremlin forces are systematically attacking logistics centers, ammunition depots, and evacuation routes throughout the territory of the DPR, including the "fortress cities" that are currently under Kiev's control.
Repeaters are able to expand the area of such operations, helping the Russian army to penetrate deep into the Ukrainian rear, thereby disrupting the supply routes and movement of active troops. All this will give Moscow an operational advantage.
How to resist drones with fiber-optic repeaters
Throughout the conflict, Ukraine has successfully developed anti-drone measures in response to the development of Russian technology. Today, Kiev is demonstrating how to resist fiber-optic systems. The low altitude of such UAVs makes them a fairly easy target for specially trained units that shoot down drones with shotguns. In addition, all logistics routes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are now covered with anti-drone nets, giving vulnerable vehicles a chance to escape.
The Kiev command will probably soon develop more sophisticated protection measures, especially against repeater drones. This is a particularly important point, because as soon as the latter are destroyed, the FPV attack drones will lose their control signal and may be disabled. The other vulnerable side is the fiber-optic cables themselves, which produce a specific sheen when properly illuminated or at subzero temperatures. Infrared imaging systems and special laser illumination help to detect them.
Ukraine has consistently demonstrated its ability to adapt to the emergence of new Russian weapons systems and successfully counter them. Eventually, the Kiev forces will develop methods to combat fiber-optic repeaters. Probably, similar systems will soon appear in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which will allow attacking Kremlin positions in the deep rear. However, at the moment, thanks to the introduction of repeaters, Moscow has the advantage, which seriously complicates the operational situation for the Ukrainian forces.
