{"id":36635,"date":"2023-09-13T11:39:55","date_gmt":"2023-09-13T11:39:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2023\/09\/13\/cardboard-drone-vendor-retools-software-based-on-ukraine-war-hacks\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:57:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:57:59","slug":"cardboard-drone-vendor-retools-software-based-on-ukraine-war-hacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/uas\/2023\/09\/13\/cardboard-drone-vendor-retools-software-based-on-ukraine-war-hacks\/","title":{"rendered":"Cardboard drone vendor retools software based on Ukraine war hacks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LONDON \u2014 Ukrainian soldiers have received hundreds of drones, gifted to them by Australia, to capture surveillance video crucial for preparing missions to retake ground from Russian forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The data comes from GoPro cameras strung from holes punched into disposable cardboard drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This cheap method of scoping out targets is made possible by SYPAQ\u2019s Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System, which can travel more than 100 kilometers, carry three kilograms of payload, and land within about two meters of its intended landing spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s actually designed for a blood bag,\u201d explained Michael Partridge, SYPAQ\u2019s general manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SYPAQ created the Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System in 2018, in response to an innovation challenge from the Australian Army to build a low-observable, low-cost drone to deliver resupply goods to remote operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company decided to go with cardboard, which is both cheap and doesn\u2019t catch the attention of enemy radar systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drone\u2019s design features a two-meter wingspan with minimal avionics and a motor module, and a payload bay with a cover that lifts up so the receiver can retrieve the blood bag, repair part, ammunition, radio or whatever else was sent their way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drone, which starts out as a flat sheet of cardboard and folds up to take its shape, can then be discarded in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The COVID-19 pandemic put a pause on SYPAQ and the Australian Defence Force\u2019s testing and development of the aircraft. But then two years later, \u201calong came the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and the Australian government was looking for something they could gift, and they wanted something that was ready to go and didn\u2019t have long lead times,\u201d Partridge said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey knew of this because we\u2019ve codeveloped it with them, so we struck a deal and we\u2019ve delivered just over 600 vehicles into Ukraine, and they\u2019re using them quite well,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
SYPAQ company officials host Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and the Ukrainian ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, during a March 2023 event following Australia’s donation of 600 Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System drones to Ukraine. (SYPAQ photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The company, based in Melbourne, says there are potential customers in the Middle East that want to buy the Corvo PPDS as a cheap test asset for carrying sensors. Similarly, Australian forces have used it as a dummy for radar system performance checks and calibration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Partridge said the Ukrainians\u2019 heavy use of the drone for more complex missions has provided significant feedback that the company us using to improve the mission planning system, user interface and ground control station for the whole family of Corvo drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Ukrainians are using it certain ways. The most effective way we\u2019re hearing about is they\u2019re literally cutting holes in the bottom and putting GoPros on 10-second timers\u201d to film a short clip when the unmanned systems reach the turnaround point that\u2019s pre-programmed into their GPS. This helps make the drones even harder to detect, as there\u2019s no datalink streaming the video back or receiving navigation instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve got active imagery that\u2019s 30 minutes old, for a very cost-effective way of doing that,\u201d Partridge said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n