Jammers - saving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and medics

Mission Ukraine is starting a new project to supply the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) with jammers. The lives of numerous people could have been saved by these devices, and it is our goal to provide as many jammers as we can to protect those whose lives depend on them. We won’t be able to do it without you, and we count on your support. 

Please feel free to get in touch with us at vd@missionukraine.uk if you would like to learn more about the project before making a donation or if you are willing to cover the cost of several jammers as part of a special sub-project.  

What is a jammer? 

A jammer is a device that creates radio interference within a given range and cuts the communication channel between the drone and its operator. As a result, the operator loses control and the drone does not reach its target. The drone can be used while stationed or installed on a moving car or boat.  

Why are jammers needed? Are they used against those FPV drones? 

Jammers are the most efficient protection tool against First Person View (FPV) drones. FPV drones are extremely efficient and pose a great risk to the UAF due to the following characteristics:

• Their speed can exceed 100 km/h; 
• FPV drones can be used at the distance of up to 20-30 km away from the operator; 
• Extremely low costs of production (starting from $300); 
• They carry up to 10 kg of explosives; and
• Target stationary or moving objects.

The russians manufacture thousands of drones which are immediately supplied to the frontline. Medical vehicles (and therefore medical personnel) are one of the main and easiest targets for the russian forces. If an FPV drone directly hits a stronger target (such as a tank or a building), it won’t necessarily cause critical damage to it or those inside. The opposite is true for medical vehicles that most of the time do not have the same level of protection and therefore rely on jammers as the only option. 

How does it work? 

FPV drones are normally operated within one of the 6 frequency ranges. The jammer requires a separate module for each frequency range. When the UAF enter the area of possible drone attacks, they turn on the james, if the reconnaissance specialists have transmitted the frequencies at which the enemy drone is flying, they can turn on the necessary module. If the exact frequency at which the drone is being controlled is unknown, the UAF turn on all modules to jam all possible radio frequencies.

Therefore, in order to have an efficient jammer that can protect the medics from the drones operated at any frequency, the jammer must have 6 corresponding modules. The cost of one module is approx. $1,000 which brings the total cost to $6,000-7,000 (incl. supporting equipment and the jammer itself as shown on the picture below).