Ukraine has reportedly developed a new type of unmanned surface vessel (USV) capable of carrying multiple fiber-optic First-Person View (FPV) drones.
According to Defense Express, at least one of these drone boats took part in the September 24 Ukrainian strike in Russia’s Krasnodar region. Footage shared by Russian sources showed a captured Ukrainian sea drone carrying four FPV drones in hull compartments, each tethered to a spool of fiber-optic cable.
A closer look at one of the Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels (USV) that reportedly took part in an attack on the Russian port of Tuapse on Wednesday.
The USV was serving as a carrier of fiber-optic FPV drones. https://t.co/uV8FUv7p3c pic.twitter.com/zWchG91NdL
— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) September 27, 2025
The video surfaced following a series of Ukrainian attacks that damaged oil terminals in Tuapse and Novorossiysk, temporarily disrupting port operations.
The development marks the first confirmed use of sea-launched, fiber-optic–controlled FPV drones by Ukraine.
Unlike radio-guided drones, the new system is immune to electronic warfare. Defense Express notes that “surface drone attacks are becoming increasingly complex for the Russians,” as they now must counter not only the “surface threat” but also “FPV-drone attacks that, using fiber-optics, can operate even when electronic warfare systems are active.”
The regular use of FPV drones launched from drone boats was first hinted at earlier this year, when the Ukrainian Navy carried out a series of FPV drone strikes that destroyed two Pantsir-S1 and one Osa short-range air defense systems in Kherson Oblast, about 3.5 miles from the Black Sea coast.
At the time, unconfirmed reports suggested that the Ukrainian Navy may have launched the FPV drones from drone boats in the Black Sea, allowing them to bypass roughly 45 miles of Russian-controlled territory and strike targets deep behind enemy lines.
Ukrainian Navy unmanned attack boats have gained a significant upgrade, and are now able to serve as drone motherships.
Last night, Ukrainian USVs carrying FPV drones attacked Russian-controlled gas platforms in the Black Sea, heavily damaging several. pic.twitter.com/1s9VTLu98G
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) December 7, 2024
