Ukrainian drones downed by friendly fire: aerial chaos disrupts the front
Ukrainian soldiers observe numerous drones on the battlefield but are not always able to determine which side they belong to.
Ukrainian troops say that in moments of uncertainty, they may have no choice but to fire at any drone they see, disable all drones operating on radio frequencies through electronic warfare, or cut the control cables of fiber-optic drones that are resistant to jamming, without knowing their origin.
In statements to the American outlet Business Insider, Mykyta Rozhkov, Head of Business Development at the Ukrainian drone and weapons manufacturer Frontline Robotics, said: “Friendly fire and the effects of friendly electronic warfare are among the biggest causes of equipment losses on the front line… that’s true.”
He clarified, however, that such losses are understandable, adding: “Ultimately, if something looks like a drone and is coming toward you from less than 100 meters away, it may be better to shoot.”
Ukrainian companies view these losses, like others, as part of the course of this fierce war that relies heavily on drones.
Stanislav Hryshyn, co-founder of the Ukrainian drone manufacturer General Cherry, told Business Insider: “People must understand that the battlefield is a real hell, the hardest place in the world, and the most terrifying.”
The exact number of Ukrainian drones shot down by friendly fire remains unclear, but soldiers confirm that the sheer number of drones in the sky often leads to panic and confusion.
At times, shooting down a friendly drone is accidental, particularly due to the intensity of electronic warfare. At other times, it is intentional, as soldiers panic and disable everything in the air.
Business Insider also reported that Ukrainian soldiers cut the cables of fiber-optic drones, which are designed to resist electronic warfare, out of extreme caution, using scissors, knives, or even their bare hands.
To address these challenges, drone operators sometimes communicate with nearby units to coordinate safe flight times and directions to prevent drones from being shot down by friendly defenses.
The issue is less pronounced with Ukrainian ground drones, also known as ground robots or unmanned ground vehicles, which form a small but rapidly growing part of Ukraine’s arsenal.
DevDroid, one of the manufacturers, told Business Insider that it does not believe Ukrainian soldiers deliberately target drones due to confusion, although some friendly fire mistakes still occur. Oleg Fedorishyn, the company’s R&D director, described them as “minor unintentional incidents.”
Ukraine is currently working to improve field coordination through the Delta system, an electronic battlefield management system that provides a comprehensive picture of the fight, including the locations of Russian targets and coordination of Ukrainian forces. It includes a dedicated layer for tracking and managing Ukrainian drones, which may reduce the risk of friendly fire.
Nevertheless, drones are designed to be expendable, and losses are expected. They are far less expensive than the advanced equipment traditionally relied upon by Western armies, which is an intentional feature of their design and use.
Rozhkov noted that powerful missiles still have their place on the battlefield, but Ukraine’s experience, as well as the war with Iran, shows that countries also need weapons that can be produced quickly and deployed at scale, such as drones. However, managing and controlling such large numbers remains difficult.
Friendly fire losses may increase demand for drone manufacturers, but companies point out that potential gains are limited, as Ukraine’s defense budget is under strain, and Russian jamming and interceptions already consume vast numbers of drones.
