In September and October 2022, increased documentation of improvised loitering munitions based on rotary wing FPV racing drones appeared online, some with better visual information of the improvised payloads used. One such UAV was a Russian quadcopter with a fragmentation IED payload with a component attached to the detonator, presumably designed to initiate upon impact with the target. Additional documentation featured a Ukrainian UAV fitted with an RKG-3 anti-tank hand grenade with a modification bolted to its base, most likely to initiate the grenade upon impact with the target. Other documentation suggests non-impact payload initiation. The recent uptick in the use of standard loitering munitions in this arena has raised awareness of the advantages and capabilities of these weapons for target acquisition with great precision, speed and maneuverability. This has undoubtedly encouraged further development of improvised loitering munitions from available and relatively inexpensive rotary wing UAVs suitable for this purpose. We can expect additional evolvement of this trend and its expansion to other locations in the future.
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