- Russia adds magnetic compasses to drones affected by satellite navigation interference
- Molniya can use the Earth’s magnetic field as a basic directional guide
- A camera periodically checks the compass during the drone flight
Russian engineers have reportedly installed a basic magnetic compass on the cheap Molniya attack drone to counter satellite jamming.
The modification offers a low-cost alternative when electronic warfare systems interfere with the GPS or GLONASS signals used by many unmanned aircraft.
Although the upgrade does not make the drone completely immune to jamming, it eliminates reliance on satellite signals for basic directional guidance.
Compass helps Molniya survive satellite interference
Most drones rely on satellite navigation systems that Ukrainian and Russian electronic warfare units have spent the war jamming and spoofing.
Unlike satellite navigation, a magnetic compass reads the Earth’s magnetic field directly and does not rely on an external radio signal.
This makes the system difficult to disrupt through conventional jamming, which targets the signals that drones use to determine their position and maintain planned flight paths.
Therefore, the modification could help Molniya follow a general course after electronic warfare systems interfere with satellite navigation.
According to Ukrainian defense advisor Serhii Beskrestnov, the latest update was carried out by Skolkovo technologies.
“Skolkovo technologies continue to develop. A compass was installed on the Molniya drone and the camera is periodically tilted down to look at it,” he said.
The Molniya has also appeared in versions controlled via fiber optic cables, which cannot be interrupted wirelessly because the commands travel over a physical connection.
However, those cables add weight and create limitations in range, payload capacity, and deployment flexibility.
Beskrestnov has also reported an attack on Molniya without a control antenna, with an onboard camera and a computer handling navigation and targeting.
These advances suggest that the low-cost drone is being adapted using different approaches to reduce reliance on vulnerable communications links.
Low cost makes simple upgrades attractive
Russia’s approach to cheaply upgrade Molniya drones suggests it is focused on spending less on the war against Ukraine.
Molniya drones are quite cheap and are largely made of plywood and aluminum tubes.
This explains why Russian engineers can add simple technologies instead of redesigning the entire plane around more expensive navigation systems.
Beskrestnov has estimated that Russia can build 10 to 15 Molniya drones for the cost of one Supercam reconnaissance drone.
The Supercam can cost close to $100,000 per plane, according to estimates, making the cheaper Molniya suitable for retrofits that prioritize affordability over sophisticated hardware.
In response to Beskrestnov, Russian military analyst Ian Matveev said: “I am sure that in the documents it says: Navigation equipment based on the principles of Earth’s magnetism.”
His comment captured how a low-cost compass repair can outperform much more expensive electronic warfare countermeasures on the battlefield.
However, the magnetic compass does not provide accurate satellite positioning and the drone remains vulnerable to other countermeasures that affect its control, sensors or flight systems.
Via Defense Blog
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