Ukrainian drones operating over Russian territory may not need the Starlink satellite system for remote control. According to Russian drone developer and PhD in engineering Sergey Tovkach, ordinary services with video-calling features that remain accessible through Russia’s «white lists» can perform this function.

Tovkach said a drone can carry either a smartphone or a single-board computer running the necessary software. As the drone approaches its target, the device connects to a mobile network and automatically initiates a video call to an operator in Kyiv.

According to the expert, services such as Avito, Max, Odnoklassniki, VKontakte and other permitted platforms can be used to establish the connection. The video call provides the operator with a live feed from the drone’s camera, while control commands required to guide the drone toward its target are transmitted back through the same connection.

Tovkach said he had personally seen evidence that such a system was being used. According to him, a circuit board recovered intact from the wreckage of a Ukrainian drone was designed to initiate a video call through Avito.

The developer stressed that such a system is technically simple enough to be implemented «at the amateur level." He said an operator in Kyiv can receive a Full HD video feed from the drone and remotely control it during the final stage of guidance.