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- Ukraine's homemade self-destructing drones are carrying around bombs attached with zip ties and tape.
- Once launched, these single-use drones can't land safely, The New York Times reports.
- Drones have played a major role on both sides of the war, striking enemies behind the front lines.
Homemade Ukrainian drones are carrying bombs held on with zip ties and tape. The single-use drones can't land safely once armed and launched, but they can decimate larger, more expensive targets.
These makeshift aircraft have become a common part of Ukraine's reconnaissance and firepower, the New York Times reported. One drone pilot, Private Yevhen, told the New York Times the drones are cheap, only costing a few hundred dollars, compared to the $20,000 drones Russia has reportedly used.
Ukrainian troops typically reconfigure civilian racing drones from the Chinese company DJI, attaching as much as two pounds of explosives with zip ties or tape, The New York Times reported.
The makeshift additions make it impossible to land the single-use drones safely after troops begin operating them.
Still, Ukrainian Maj. Kyryl Veres told The New York Times that he sees "huge potential" for weapons.
The overall system might be crude, but it's effective. The drones can be flown miles behind enemy lines, destroying valuable targets and dropping bombs on unsuspecting soldiers, the New York Times reported.
Drones have seen use on both sides of the war, devastating forces at the front lines and beyond. But Ukraine has capitalized on the technology, relying on drones as an unusual element in combat.