Enemy strike UAVs receive Susanin flight controllers to operate without satellites
Russian forces have begun outfitting strike drones with terrain-matching optical navigation systems that operate without satellite signals. The upgrade makes such unmanned aerial vehicles resistant to electronic warfare countermeasures. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine (Катерина Коваль) citing Serhii Beskrestnov, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
Drone memories are pre-loaded with imagery of the planned flight path. In flight, the onboard system matches those reference photos against real-time footage from its camera, establishing location coordinates without relying on satellite constellations.
Standard satellite imagery of the terrain from open platforms like Google is sufficient for baseline orientation. Because satellite tracking is bypassed, electronic warfare systems cannot deflect the drones off course with radio frequency jamming.
The Susanin flight controller
The adversary has previously fielded such optics-based guidance on smaller Molniya, V2U, and Lancet loitering munitions. Similar systems running on a flight controller called Susanin have now been identified inside long-range Geran-4 and Geran-5 strike drones.
This technology is expected to expand across medium- and long-range Russian unmanned platforms as well as low-cost cruise missiles.
Electronic warfare in airspace defence
Despite ongoing enemy drone upgrades, electronic warfare systems continue to serve as a cornerstone of Ukrainian airspace protection. The Lima jamming system successfully deflected two incoming ballistic missiles targeting government facilities in Kyiv away into the Dnipro River.
A nationwide communications blackout remains unachievable for Russian strikes, as Ukrainian network infrastructure is widely distributed against targeted disruptions.
Photo: RBC-Ukraine
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