In the tiresome Russia Ukraine war, the technology warfront has changed in a dramatic way.
A more recent and perhaps better known ‘dragon drone’ is the name given to the latest in
unmanned aerial vehicle development. These drones, rightfully given the name, fire, have
become new tools in the modern warfare, which affected the strategies and tendencies in this
conflictual region to a certain extent.
The Genesis of Dragon Drones
Dragon drones are not stories from the past but rather a successful result of the science and
military efforts. In their essence, these drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which
carry canisters containing thermite, in most cases, a combination of aluminium and iron
oxide. Thermite is defined as the mixture of aluminium powder and iron oxide that when
ignited creates heat of as high temperature as 2,427 degree Celsius. This results into
formation of liquid like metal potent of causing massive havoc.
Design and Functionality
Dragon drones are developed with the concerns of the mobility, stealth, and precision.
Usually the size of these drones is small and hence can fly in a very loose formation, and is
easily invisible to radar. Mounted securely in the drone are thermite canisters and these are
positioned in such a way that when the drone get to its position, the chips release. The
thermite is ejected over an enemy position when the drone gets close enough; the material
tumbles down, burning whatever is in its path. The fire which is thereby produced not only
causes extensive loss and destruction of place but also carries a very real peril to life, thereby
making it as effective weapon of both physical and psychological control.
Use in Russia Ukraine Crisis
As long as the war between Russia and Ukraine, dragon drones have been used
predominantly by the Ukrainian side. These drones serve multiple strategic purposes:
- Targeting Fortified Positions: The heat-progressive thermite compound has the capability to penetrate defence structures and demobilize the machinery.
- Psychological Impact: If an enemy sees a dragon drone start to vomit fire he will be intimidated and confused, making him less effective in battle.
- Environmental Disruption: In mountains wooded regions or plain terrain, when used larger amount of thermite it causes fire spark which leads to fire on trees or dry fields and hence makes it tough for the enemy forces to occupy or press on.
Dragon drones that Ukrainians has managed to acquire offer a tactical edge and enables the
country’s forces to fight off some of what Russia has to offer in terms of might. The element
of surprise coupled with the capability of the thermite has allowed Ukraine in some
incidences to hit back strongly.
Aftereffects on Civilian Territory and Perspective
As demonstrated, the dragon drones are useful in combat; however, their application must
raise moral and humanitarian issues. The potential of causing collateral damage is very high,
this is especially because the buildings that are there in the urban and residential areas
usually form part of the construction. Molten Thermite is capable of causing fire that is so
extreme that structures, people’s lives, and other property may be in great danger for
growing way out of control.
This ethical problem is quite similar to more general problems associated with employing
high technology in military operations. In a world where conflict escalates to hi-tech danger,
and where the rules and laws of engagements continue to develop and are increasingly
complex and stringent, the protection of human persons who are not participants in a
conflict or protected under international humanitarian law is of paramount importance.
Technological Connotations and Further Evolution
Dragon drones are a sign of an increasing trend towards the use of composites and
automation in military technology. Such materials include thermite and other high energy
payloads and represent one facet of this development. That might lead to even more
technologically enhanced UAVs armed with better and improved technology, artificial
intelligence based target indicators, and virtually invisible stealth features.
Also, countermeasures to these drones are expected to develop as well with time. Russia or
Ukraine or other countries witnessing this war are investing in technologies to spot and
disable drones before they get a chance to plant their payload. These gyrations between the
offense and the defence technologies will define the future of these wars.
Often the use of Dragon drones reflects the modern tempo of development of technology for
today’s war. Russia and Ukraine war shows how such innovations are preferable from
strategic point of view and unethical from the moral point of view. Thus, facing two potent
dragon drones the Forces have learned about the capabilities of forging stabbed and supple
Armed Vehicles for the sake of future as the war goes on, the capabilities of dragon drones as
well as similar technologies will persistently remain one of the key drivers defining the
further configuration of battles and the world as a whole.
By virtue of the constant progression in military equipment the necessity of an international
discussion on how these developments can be controlled is demonstrated by the high cost it
will bring to society.
Why is it a cause of concern?
Some of the questions that have arisen due to the application of dragon drones during the
Russia-Ukraine conflict are briefly elaborated below and are associated with human rights
issues and so on as:
- Collateral Damage: The level of heat and fire from dragon drones is very high meaning that apart from military objectives, they can easily destroy infrastructure. From this it can result in harm of civilians or their property in populated areas for example during the war.
- Psychological Impact: The use of dragons can apply psychological pressures on civilians since the view of those drones that shower the area with fire may entail terror. This form of psychological effects can have long term consequences towards the person’s psychological well-being.
- Environmental Damage: The thermite can cause wildfires especially since the temperatures produced can easily ignite timber and other plants’. Not only it disrupts the geographical physiography, but it also endangers wildlife and agriculturally productive regions, hence affecting people’s income.
- Ethical and Legal Concerns: It brings the issue of proportionality and use of such advanced and destructive weapon in conflicts as a moral issue. According to the general principles of international humanitarian law all parties involved in a conflict must do everything possible to avoid causing damage to civilians and civilian objects. The fulfilment of these legal requirements must now be taken into mind when deploying the dragon drones.
- Accountability and Transparency: It is important to be able to hold operators of dragon drones serious accountable especially when they have been deployed in such a manner as described in the article. It is therefore mandatory to have openness in carrying out these weapons and also have ways of looking into realization of civilian harm.
The benefits or advantages of these Dragon drones
- Precision Targeting: Dragon drones also come with warfare weaponry control systems to help in targeting specific regions. Such differentiation reduces unnecessary loss of life and property and guarantees that the thermite payload strikes exactly where intended.
- Stealth and Agility: Specifically, these UAVs are small, highly manoeuvrable, and hard to identify and engage. The change in their unique ability to fly low and move around an area also makes them better in attack formations.
- High-Intensity Impact: The impact of the thermite payload generates incalculably great heat, sufficient to penetrate barriers, as well as inflict serious destruction to enemy’s armaments and facilities.
- Versatility: It is also clear that Dragon drones can be used in different territories such as forests and cityscapes. This means that they are invaluable tools in all sorts of combats.
- Cost-Effective: Dragon drones are considerably less expensive than traditional military armaments and require stronger maintenance. This makes the deployment of the devices affordable and in larger numbers that enhance their rate of engagement on the field.
Technical disadvantages of Dragon drones:
- Limited Flight Time: Existing dragon drones have a relatively short battery life on a charge because they are compact and carry little payload. This in effect limits the range they can cover and how long they can stay in the field at a time.
- Vulnerability to Countermeasures: Surprisingly, dragon drones can be tracked and neutralized with conventional mechanisms of countering drones. They are becoming much more complex in nature and this weakness means that constant new ways of attacking the opposition have to be found.
- Weather Sensitivity: Wind and Rain conditions are other factors that pose a challenge to the manoeuvrability and precision of dragon drones during aerial flights. This limitation can limit their functionality in one surrounding or another.
- Risk of Collateral Damage: Though developed as accurate and efficient, they are still capable of causing collateral damage to human property. The heat and fire within the thermite payload can be extreme and widespread and become hazardous to innocent causalities.
- Ethical and Legal Concerns: The application of dragon drones calls into question the ethical value of its representation of proportionality and measure. It is therefore substantially difficult to adhere to the provisions of international humanitarian law and prevent the endangerment of civilians.
What is a UAV?
A UAV or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle also often referred to as a drone is an aircraft that can be flown without a human occupant on board. However, it is controlled from a remote distance on ground or by computers. UAVs are applied in different fields such as military use, security surveillance, aerial mapping, and farming and plantation use.
Types of UAVs
Fixed-Wing UAVs:
- Design: Look like the conventional airplanes or having wing like structure.
- Advantages: relatively high speed, can travel for longer distance.
- Disadvantages: Need extended surfaces for take-off and landing, not very agile.
- Examples: Boeing Insitu ScanEagle.
Rotary-Wing UAVs:
- Design: May look like helicopters with rotating blades.
- Advantages: Vertical–lift–off, very mobile, it may stand still.
- Disadvantages: short range, limited distance travel.
- Examples: DJI Phantom series, Boeing AH-6 Little Bird.
Hybrid UAVs:
- Design: Use characteristics of both, fixed wing UAVs and rotary wing UAVs.
- Advantages: VTOL, effectiveness in hover mode, increased endurance, and stability.
- Disadvantages: Complex design and operation.
- Examples: Arcturus T-20 and Quantum Systems Trinity F90+.
Single-Rotor UAVs:
- Design: Have only one large rotor and a smaller one called tail rotor.
- Advantages: Large load carrying capability, operates well in the hover mode.
- Disadvantages: New and more complex mechanical parts.
- Examples: Align T-Rex series.
Multi-Rotor UAVs:
- Design: As name suggests has multiple rotors.
- Advantages: less complex and stable.
- Disadvantages: It is subject to very short flight time and flight distance because of high power consumption.
- Examples: Mavic series of DJI, Parrot Anafi.
Tethered UAVs:
- Design: Attached to a ground station via a tether.
- Advantages: Using biomass fuel whereby supply is almost infinite therefore making the operation steady and can lasts for as long as the fuel is available.
- Disadvantages: Less or limited mobility.
- Examples: CyPhy Works PARC and Hoverfly LiveSky.
Applications of UAVs
- Military and Defence: These include surveillance, or reconnaissance, targeted strikes, and logistics support.
- Agriculture: Navigational aid in crop monitoring, the application of pesticide to crops, and testing the health of the soil.
- Surveillance and Security: Security surveillance, surveillance coverage of large areas, calamity response, and emergency search operations.
- Commercial and Delivery: Goods transportation and transportation for Aerial Photography and cartography.
- Recreational: Aerobatics, sport competitions, joyriding, and personal use; recreation and leisure.
The usefulness of UAVs is only continuing to grow our ability to implement them into different areas. Their capacity to accomplish assignments that are risky, monotonous or needs high accuracy makes them an important useful tool in the contemporary society.