Despite restrictions on the use of Starlink, the Russian military is still able to control unmanned aerial vehicles online during flight by using mesh drone networks that are coordinated with each other through modems installed on the drones. This was stated by Adviser to Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Serhii Beskrestnov in an interview with Ukraine’s NV Radio.
In a mesh network, communication between UAVs is established because each modem can simultaneously transmit and receive signals from others.
This creates a chain of drones in the air that remains intact even if one link fails. In such a chain, online control of unmanned aerial vehicles enables more precise strikes than GPS-based control.
In early February, U.S.-based SpaceX, which develops Starlink, took measures at the request of the Ukrainian side to prevent the Russian military from using satellite communications.
