Ukraine Using Australian Cardboard Drones for IRS and Attack

Interestingengineering.com reported that cardboard drones named the "Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System," (PPDS) are part of Australia's pledge to provide Ukraine with military support. The flat-pack drones are made of waxed cardboard, can be easily assembled, and are launched with a catapult. They have a relatively low cost for the capability delivered--a few thousand dollars per unit. In February, Australia pledged to provide Ukraine with unmanned aerial systems worth $33 million. The PPDS factory-made drone is said to be more sophisticated than some of the Ukrainian homemade drones with more advanced software. About 100 Australian drones are delivered every month, according to the manufacturer.

Corvo PPDS drones have a flight range of up to 75 miles (120 kilometers) and are designed to deliver ammunition, food, and medicine directly to the front line. In addition, they can perform reconnaissance flights or drop small explosive devices. The PPDS is an expendable drone for delivering supplies and equipment into areas that traditional logistics capabilities cannot reach. It can also be used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The flat-pack design makes it easy to ship the drones, with 24 of them in pizza-size boxes that fit on a pallet. These boxes also contain the drones’ assembly materials, tools, motors, and batteries. The PPDS flies autonomously without operator control and uses GPS guidance where available. However, the control software can work out its position from speed and heading if GPS is jammed. PPDS drones are manufactured at SYPAQ’s Defense Autonomy Center of Excellence in Fisherman’s Bend, Melbourne. Watch a video here.