The cardboard construction may also provide another advantage. Because cardboard has lower radar reflectivity than many conventional aerospace materials, the drones could present a smaller radar signature under certain conditions. While that would not make them invisible to radar systems, reduced detectability could make tracking more difficult, particularly for small, low-flying drones operating in large numbers.
The broader concept behind the AirKamuy 150 reflects a growing shift in military thinking toward low-cost expendable autonomous systems designed to operate in large numbers. Rather than protecting a small number of extremely expensive platforms, militaries are increasingly experimenting with cheap drones that can be sacrificed during reconnaissance, decoy, interception, or attack missions.
Recent conflicts are reflecting that shift. In Ukraine, both Russian and Ukrainian forces have used large numbers of low-cost drones for reconnaissance and direct attacks. Similar tactics involving inexpensive unmanned systems have also appeared across conflicts in the Middle East.
The AirKamuy 150 may ultimately represent more than an unusual cardboard aircraft. It may instead offer a glimpse into the future of industrial-scale drone warfare — one increasingly defined not by a handful of expensive machines, but by vast numbers of cheap, rapidly replaceable autonomous systems.
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Etiido Uko is an engineer and technical writer with over nine years of experience in documentation and reporting. He is deeply passionate about all things gadgets, technology, and engineering. ","collapsible":{"enabled":true,"maxHeight":250,"readMoreText":"Read more","readLessText":"Read less"}}), "https://slice.vanilla.futurecdn.net/13-4-22/js/authorBio.js"); } else { console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); } Etiido Uko Social Links Navigation News Contributor Etiido Uko is an engineer and technical writer with over nine years of experience in documentation and reporting. He is deeply passionate about all things gadgets, technology, and engineering.
usertests This has got me wondering how cheaply the electronics can be made. I think very basic chips and sensors have been made with inkjet printing. Reply
eldakka1 Nice, though a little late to the party. Cardboard drones have been used in the Ukraine war since it began in 2022, so nothing really new here. Ukraine's $3.5K 'Cardboard' Drone Is a New Weapon Against Russia …Ukraine Is Using Cardboard Drones From Australia: Details Reply
bit_user From the inventors of origami, I'm a little disappointed at how conventional it looks. I guess it's a little hard to beat such a tried-and-tested design, though. I hope they do cardboard crab robots, next. Reply
bolweval Next, LEGO drones! https://robot-academy.com/product/robot-academy-lego-drone/ 125 bucks! Reply
bit_user bolweval said: Next, LEGO drones! https://robot-academy.com/product/robot-academy-lego-drone/ 125 bucks! Neat, but so much about that is locked-down. You can't add more rotors or even change the arrangement of its existing rotors. It also has a max payload of just 120 grams, which limits how much customization you can do and what sorts of things you can use it for. Also, it's remote-controlled, whereas it'd be really neat if it had some sort of option for autonomous control. In true Lego spirit, you should be able to do all of those things, as well as change the kind of motor, the battery pack, and the kind of propeller. Without any of that stuff, I'd agree that it deserves an age rating 8+. Much older kids would quickly find it too limiting, I'd hope. Reply
Mindstab Thrull All I can think of now is Japan using them to Zerg rush opposing drones etc… Reply
USAFRet Being made from cardboard is irrelevant. Plastic could be just as cheap. The payload and range for this is the question. Reply
bit_user USAFRet said: Being made from cardboard is irrelevant. Plastic could be just as cheap. The article says: "The company also says the drones, which are prefab and can be assembled in five to ten minutes, are shipped flat-packed, allowing roughly 500 units to fit inside a standard shipping container." How do you suppose plastic would compare, on that front? In a pinch, maybe you could even just use some generic cardboard stock that's found on-site or acquired nearby. Might not work as well, but could be good enough for some purposes. Reply
USAFRet bit_user said: The article says: "The company also says the drones, which are prefab and can be assembled in five to ten minutes, are shipped flat-packed, allowing roughly 500 units to fit inside a standard shipping container." How do you suppose plastic would compare, on that front? In a pinch, maybe you could even just use some generic cardboard stock that's found on-site or acquired nearby. Might not work as well, but could be good enough for some purposes. Yeah, the flatpack is a benefit. But a plastic body could be just as easy to assemble. 50 miles range, 80 minutes, 3lb payload. I'm just saying…cardboard is not much less cost than plastic. Even in bulk. The inexpensive mass production is the key aspect. Reply
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/japan-is-deploying-ultra-cheap-cardboard-drones-built-for-swarm-warfare-and-expendable-combat-missions-usd2-000-expendable-combat-drones-cost-less-than-some-gaming-pcs#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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