The Ukrainian company Ptashka Drones has released footage showing a series of successful strikes carried out by FPV drones using a fiber-optic control cable, with a stated operational range of up to 50 km.
The video was published yesterday, December 29, 2025, on the company’s Telegram channel.
The footage shows the drones striking a tank, various vehicles, a Chinese Desertcross 1000-3 all-terrain vehicle, a motorcycle, and enemy soldiers.
Ptashka Drones announced the start of combat testing of fiber-optically controlled FPV drones on November 19, 2025, and shortly afterward reported their first successful strikes.
Just two weeks later, the company announced its first successful operational use.
“We have the first confirmed strikes carried out by ‘Ptashkas’ using fiber optics with 50 km spools,” the company wrote in a post on December 7, 2025.
The drone uses a digital communications link, which provides a stable connection over such a long distance, unlike analog systems.
First strikes by Ptashka Drones’ 50 km fiber-optic FPV drones:
A fiber-optic FPV drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle controlled via a thin fiber-optic cable that connects it to the operator’s control unit, transmitting control commands, video, and telemetry using light signals rather than a radio link.
This makes it immune to electronic warfare (EW) measures and prevents detection by electronic intelligence (ELINT) systems. It also ensures high-quality communication over long distances.
