Russia is actively using sapper drones to help defuse mines and unexploded ordnance.
In November 2023, according to the Ministry of Defense, this technology was first actively used. And during this time, only one engineering and sapper company destroyed more than 1,500 mines and unexploded ordnance.
The system is simple: a TNT charge with a detonating cord is attached to the drone's release device. Its length is calculated depending on the distance to the detected ammunition and the time required to move the drone away from the epicenter of the explosion. From a safe distance, where the operator is located, the igniter tube ignites, and the drone has five minutes to deliver it to the drop site of the projectile.
If the found ammunition is non-contact, then the charge for detonation is installed approximately one meter from it. The charging power is increased by 4-5 times and it helps detonation by a shock wave. If the ammunition is contact, the charge is lowered directly onto it and then detonated.
