And a shotgun-proof drone is the obvious response – if it is possible. Videos show Ukrainian troops engaging incoming drones with shotgun fire, and one Russian blogger advocated a large-scale supply of shotguns to the frontline counter Ukrainian drones. Many people have suggested shotguns as the ideal solution to drone attacks. The Widow is said to resist smaller gauges at even shorter ranges. And a YouTube video of a test with a shotgun is claimed to show the drone withstanding a blast from a 12-gauge at 25 yards. The makers did not respond to requests for details of the materials used or which parts of the drone are protected, although close-up images give an idea of what the armor looks like. And while other drones break when trodden on, the Widow can survive being driven over by an ATV and still remain flyable.īut the Widow’s most striking new feature is its armor plating. It has replaceable accessory mounts and arms that can be straightened out if bent. To address environmental protection, the Widow has an Ingress Protection or IP Rating of 64, which means it is sealed against dust and can withstand water from all directions.
The drone, known as the Widow, is described as a versatile quadcopter engineered to withstand “highly demanding battlefield conditions.” Its speed of 70 mph also puts it a cut above standard consumer models, and the payload of more than 3 pounds gives plenty of options – in Ukraine, similar-sized drones drop RKG-3 anti-tank grenades. Manufacturers produce rugged models specifically aimed at the demands of the military market, such as the government’s Blue sUAS initiative for American-made drones, but armoring them is a real step-change. Consumer drones have become essential gear for both sides in Ukraine, but, as the makers are the first to admit, they are built for a gentle flight in the park, not the rough treatment of military use where equipment is routinely thrown about, dropped, or exposed to shock and vibration. Texas company Newcastle Manufacturing is raising the bar for robust quadcopters with an armor-plated drone claiming the ability to shrug off shotgun fire.
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