Russian attack drones have gained a new way to navigate through Ukrainian airspace without relying on satellite signals or radio communications. The technology, known as Susanin, uses optical guidance to maintain its course despite electronic interference. Its appearance has raised serious concerns in Ukraine, with BI reporting that widespread deployment could make Russian drones significantly harder for Ukrainian forces to counter.

Last week, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry requested information about the device after it was discovered on Russian unmanned aircraft. Susanin is a compact cylindrical module equipped with a camera. Unlike conventional navigation systems, it can guide a drone toward its destination without receiving external signals.

The technology works by comparing images of the terrain. A downward-facing camera continuously captures the landscape, while onboard electronics match the footage against previously stored photographs. This allows the aircraft to determine its location and follow a programmed route independently.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia is already fitting Susanin modules to Geran-4 and Geran-5 K5 jet-powered drones, which can reach speeds of 450 km/h and higher. These aircraft have seen increasingly frequent use throughout the year. Their speed also presents a major challenge for Ukraine, as conventional interceptor drones cannot catch them.

Ukrainian drone specialist Sergey Beskrestnov, known by the callsign Flash, explained that even publicly available Google Earth imagery can provide enough geographical information for basic navigation. He expects Russia to make significant improvements to Susanin next year. Similar guidance technologies, he noted, are already being used on Molniya, V2U and Lancet drones.

The underlying technology has long been employed in cruise missiles. American Tomahawk missiles use digital terrain-matching systems to compare geographical features with stored maps. Russian Kh-101 missiles carry a comparable system called Otblesk-U. However, a single Kh-101 is estimated to cost $2.4 million, while long-range attack drones are considerably cheaper to manufacture.

Russia can also produce these unmanned aircraft at a much faster rate. In September alone, jet-powered drones carried out 3,500 strikes against Ukraine.

Kirill Lyukov, head of drone technology at Sergey Pritula’s charitable foundation, told BI that Moscow is fully capable of expanding the use of Susanin-type guidance systems. He confirmed that Russia already employs the technology for medium- and long-range attacks, with the modules appearing increasingly often on jet-powered Geran drones.

However, optical navigation has certain limitations. Susanin is designed primarily for strikes against predetermined, stationary targets. It cannot independently locate moving Ukrainian armored vehicles or mobile missile launchers. This does not conflict with Russia’s existing approach to using Geran drones, which are launched in large numbers to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses and strike designated targets.

For Ukraine, the greatest difficulty is that electronic jamming becomes far less effective against aircraft equipped with autonomous optical guidance. According to Lyukov, physically destroying such drones is the only reliable interception method.

Ukraine’s options remain limited. Its military is only beginning to deploy advanced interceptor drones capable of catching the faster jet-powered Gerans. The alternative involves expensive surface-to-air missiles, which are available in limited quantities and generally reserved for more powerful Russian cruise and ballistic missiles.

Lyukov also identified a potential weakness in Susanin’s design. Disrupting or blinding its optical camera could prevent the system from functioning properly. Natural conditions, including clouds, rain and fog, may also interfere with terrain recognition.

Accurate navigation additionally requires favorable weather and an appropriate combination of flight altitude and speed, allowing the onboard camera to capture images suitable for comparison with stored geographical data.