Wild Hornets updates Hornet Vision system, doubling number of drones that can operate in combat
"Ukrainian MilTech company Wild Hornets has released a major update to its digital video transmission system Hornet Vision, which enables effective control of combat drones. It will now support 25 independent communication channels instead of nine," the company said in a statement received by Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.
The company said the update is its engineers’ own development and will significantly improve the effectiveness of drone operations on the battlefield. The statement explained that, thanks to the expanded channel network, up to 25 Hornet Vision crews will be able to operate simultaneously within a single standard radar field without creating critical radio interference for one another. By comparison, common analog video transmission systems can support the effective operation of only up to 10 crews.
As a result, Ukrainian troops will be able to increase the number of drones simultaneously carrying out combat missions in a single sector, allowing them to intercept more enemy targets in the most intense areas and reduce the number of their own drones lost during intensive operations.
The company said expanding Hornet Vision’s capabilities will not require additional expenditure or replacement of core equipment: all Hornet Vision ground control stations can be updated to operate in 25-channel mode, and new batches of Wild Hornets drones are already being fitted with onboard VTX Unit modules supporting the technology.
As a result, the expanded capabilities of Hornet Vision will not affect the cost of equipment and drones for Ukrainian forces, while significantly improving their operating conditions and, in turn, the effectiveness of destroying enemy targets.
Hornet Vision is a high-tech digital video transmission system developed by Wild Hornets’ engineers. It provides high image quality, low signal latency and reliable communication over long distances. The system is resistant to electronic warfare (EW) and can simultaneously receive signals from multiple ground stations.
Part of the Hornet Vision ecosystem is Hornet Vision Ctrl, the first remote drone control system to be codified under NATO standards and approved for use in Ukraine’s Defense Forces. It allows qualified pilots to remain at a safe distance from the front line and remotely control interceptor drones by connecting to ground stations in areas where enemy targets have been detected. Hornet Vision Ctrl also helps Ukrainian pilots shoot down Shahed-type strike drones.
In addition, the technology makes it possible to remotely control drones launched from ground-, sea- and air-based platforms.
Wild Hornets is a Ukrainian MilTech company that develops and manufactures unmanned systems. Wild Hornets was among the pioneers of combat FPV drone use and developed the Sting, the most effective high-speed interceptor drone for destroying Shahed-type kamikaze drones. Its introduction effectively created the interceptor drone category in Ukraine.
The company combines leadership in this category with an ecosystem of combat drones and innovative communication technologies that will allow pilots to control drones remotely.
Wild Hornets drones are currently used by more than 100 units of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, including the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the Special Operations Forces, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate, the Air Force and the State Border Guard Service.