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| The Switchblade Drone |
International Military - The Switchblade 300 drone appears to have been used on the battlefield between Russia and Ukraine. It is known, the video footage was spread on social media Twitter. Footage also shows a soldier holding the launch tube on the ground with his feet.
Quoted from 19fortyfive.com, using a handheld switch, the soldier launched the drone into the air. When the drone leaves the tube, its wings open rapidly, and the drone is fired into the air. Once in the air, soldiers use ground stations to monitor the area using the drone's onboard camera system.
Unlike portable air defense systems that require a soldier to launch missiles over the shoulder, the tiny Switchblade 300 system is small enough to launch from the ground. The entire unit can also be folded and placed in a backpack.
As is known, in March, the United States included 100 Switchblade 300 drones in a weapons package sent to Ukraine. In April, an additional 600 Switchblades were promised to Ukraine.
The drone's ease of use has made it one of the most popular weapons for the Ukrainian army. Small, portable, and capable of targeting enemy vehicles and locations with high precision, the AeroVironment drone has become one of the most recognized weapons of the Russia-Ukraine 2022 war. However, 600 Switchblades have not yet been deployed to Ukraine.
Reporting from Euro News, the 300 Switchblades have high targeting capabilities. The kamikaze drone uses GPS coordinates and real-time video for "precise targeting with low collateral effect," the developer company said.
Launched from a tube and its small size allows it to take off from a variety of air, sea and land platforms. The entire kit - including payload, launcher and transport bag - weighs just 2.5 kg.
Unlike most weapons, the Switchblade can also release or cancel a mission at any time, and then recommit to another target depending on what the operator tells it to do.
This aims to ensure that attacks are precise and can be called off at the last minute if they endanger civilians or nearby property.