Title: New Era of Surveillance: The Russian Trail Cam Drone
Last week, Ukrainian analyst Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov shared intriguing images of a new device – an FPV drone packing a trail camera and a bamboo frame. This unconventional contraption, with its humble origins and stealthy capabilities, could serve as an efficient, covert spy for U.S. forces, much like the devices they used to dream of in the past.
The loopy-looking gathering of commercial components makes for an efficient and stealthy secret agent of sorts, capable of sitting by the side of a track undetected and sending back video footage of vehicles passing by over weeks.
The Genesis of Ground Sensors: Igloo White
The concept of unattended ground sensors (UGS) dates back to the 1960s, when the U.S. was on a mission to halt traffic along the Ho Chi Minh trail, the Viet Cong's primary supply route. Seismic, magnetic, and acoustic sensors could detect nearby movements, but technology lacked the ability to capture video.
Under the Igloo White program, the U.S. deployed thousands of sensors, either canopy-hung or ground-embedded, from aircraft like F-4 Phantoms and CH-3 helicopters. While 80% of the sensors functioned post-landing and had up to a few weeks' battery life, they suffered from a significant drawback. They lacked the capability to see the target or transmit pinpoint locations to attacking aircraft until the moment of weapon release. Consequently, numerous bombs were dropped at each suspected coordinate to ensure hits.
The Trail Cam Revolution
Modern trail cams made their appearance in the 1980s, with motion sensors triggered by passing animals, offering hunters and researchers a glimpse into the habits of wildlife. This was followed by the advent of infra-red cameras for night sensing, leading to unprecedented capabilities in monitoring wildlife behavior.
Digital cameras, incorporating storage for thousands of images and video clips, and Wi-Fi-enabled trail cams became the norm in the 2000s. These advancements resulted in affordable devices capable of monitoring wildlife, rendering them invaluable tools for backyard exploration.
In Russian drones, cellphone modems have played a significant role, notably in Shahed drones using Ukrainian SIM cards. They are utilized for transmitting location data and potentially imaging targets. In the trail cam drone involved here, the antenna was unconnected, but the unit seemed to have a dual purpose– either to gaze down from above trees or to get an elevated view of grass-covered terrain.
Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov raised the question of whether the drone relied on cellular infrastructure, since phone signals could be jammed in combat zones. The cellphone depends on soldiers, who count on them as essential items. If phone signals are jammed, alternative methods, such as Starlink satellite communications, might replace them.
Trail Cameras and Conflict
The trail cam has evolved from a tool for monitoring wildlife into a potential device for gathering intelligence in military operations, just as its aptitude for detecting activity extended to mapping troop movements.
If Ukraine is not already employing similar technology, it is likely that they will soon. With the ability to pinpoint vehicles, track troop rotations, and monitor logistics activities, trail cams can serve as an efficient, low-cost reconnaissance tool—especially when placed strategically to successfully monitor enemy activities.
Trail cams, though potentially detectable and prone to removal, could be quickly replaced. If compact, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) transport these cameras, utilizing technology like that in the trail cam drone discovered by Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, military operations and warfare could be altered forever.
This trail cam drone, with its ability to hover above terrain and send back footage, could be an innovative addition to covert reconnaissance operations. It leverages the small size and stealthiness of a drone, combined with the surveillance capabilities of a trail camera, potentially providing valuable real-time intelligence.
Furthermore, the integration of a trail cam into a spy drone could prove beneficial in situations where cellular infrastructure is compromised, as an alternative method of data transmission could be employed, such as satellite communications like Starlink.
