Satellite Internet by Elon Musk
Ukraine uses Starlink in drone strikes
By Marc Dimpfel
03/24/2022, 3:01 p.m
In early March, Elon Musk equips Ukraine with infrastructure for Starlink. Since then, Internet access via space satellites has not only been used by civilians. A Ukrainian drone unit is apparently making intensive use of the service.
The war had only been raging for a few days when Elon Musk intervened – at the request of the Ukrainian digital minister. Mykhailo Fedorov asked the Tesla boss via Twitter about Starlink stations, to which Musk reacted in the usual unbureaucratic manner and immediately delivered end devices for the internet service to Ukraine. Initially fobbed off by some as a PR campaign, Starlink now seems to be an important pillar in keeping the country online. Not only can President Zelenskyj broadcast his speeches to parliaments around the world, the Ukrainian military is also apparently benefiting and using Starlink in drone attacks.
Starlink, operated by Musk’s space company SpaceX, is based on a network of satellites. The company has already launched more than 2,000 of them into orbit. A connection to end devices on the ground makes it possible to receive Internet without a cable connection. The idea: to supply even the most remote regions of the world with Internet.
New recipients are regularly brought to Ukraine, Fedorov explained on Twitter. The deliveries also include powerful batteries from Musk’s second company Tesla, which means that the terminals can be used for mobile use, reports “Welt”. This benefits the Ukrainian armed forces. According to a report by “The Telegraph” Drone troops use the service to attack Russian tanks and positions. Starlink is currently of military importance, especially in rural areas where the Internet connection is weak.
Attacks on tanks
According to the British daily, the Aerorozvidka unit, which translates to air reconnaissance, uses the service in particular. On the one hand, the drones are used there to monitor and coordinate artillery strikes, but they would also attack Russian tanks and positions directly. According to this, the soldiers first establish a connection to strategic databases via Starlink. If a target was then identified, the unmanned missiles would steer over it and drop anti-tank bombs, for example.
An officer from Aerorozvidka describes the Londoner “time” The procedure is as follows: “We strike at night when the Russians are sleeping. We specifically look for the most valuable vehicles in a convoy. We then hit them accurately and can do it with little collateral damage – even in villages. The drones, equipped with thermal imaging cameras, are said to be “impossible to see” in the dark.
The unit’s sophisticated flying objects are linked to Starlink, the officer said. Different troops could also coordinate attacks among themselves. “We use Starlink gear and connect the drone team to the artillery troops. Drones could then pinpoint targets and relay position to an artilleryman.” Stable communication is only possible through the high data rates of Starlink.
According to the Times, Aerorozvidka has 50 units of experienced drone pilots who have already eliminated dozens of military targets. Some of their drones are specially modified for bombing. In addition, the troops fly up to 300 reconnaissance missions a day. Collected information is fed into a NATO-supported surveillance system.
Not safe to use
As the war progresses, Starlink could become more and more important, as power outages and disruptions to the Internet connection in Ukraine are likely to increase further as a result of the Russian attacks. In addition, Starlink is also increasingly being used by civilians. According to the Telegraph, more than 100,000 people in Ukraine have already downloaded the associated app. It’s the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine, Musk said.
But the use is not without risk. Musk himself has warned that Starlink could be targeted by Russian attacks. Because the terminals are recognizable from the air. The receiving devices can also possibly be located. “Turn on Starlink only when necessary and place the antenna as far away from people as possible,” the Tesla boss advised in early March. Apparently there have already been attempts by the Russian side to jam the Starlink transmitters. Musk replied on Twitter: A new update could bypass the jammers.