Global military spending is rising, but low-cost drones are reshaping warfare. In its defense against Russian aggression, Ukraine is relying heavily on this technology — for several reasons.
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00:00Just a few kilometers from the front line, Ukrainian soldiers are assembling drones and attach explosives.
00:07The parts come from factories at home and abroad.
00:09Some are even ordered via Chinese retailers like Temu or AliExpress.
00:16Ukraine has been using unbelievably low-cost methods with great success.
00:22Their unconventional methods against the Russians, it's been remarkable.
00:25Thanks to First-Person View or FPV drones, soldiers can see the action via monitors or goggles.
00:35This allows them to approach precision targets while being well out of harm's way.
00:40This way, a drone costing just a few hundred euros can neutralize a tank costing millions.
00:46The idea was born out of necessity.
00:48The wide-scale use of drones in Ukraine is mainly due to a lack of artillery munitions.
00:56So for a while, drones were a substitute for shells, and that's how it was developed.
01:05Online courses can mean that anyone can learn to build drones for the Ukrainian military.
01:10The demand is huge, as many are only used once.
01:14They might be shot down or meet their end in a kamikaze-style attack.
01:19Today, Ukraine produces drones that can fly as far as 2,000 kilometers.
01:24That's all the way to Russia.
01:26Russia too is increasingly relying on drones, targeting military positions, critical infrastructure and residential buildings in Ukraine.
01:33But drones alone won't win the war.
01:35You can't take and hold territory with drones, for example.
01:41That requires boots on the ground.
01:43Basically, Ukrainian armed forces must occupy and hold territory.
01:48And that's not possible with drones and robots alone.
01:50With drones and robots alone?
01:52Actually not.