In the Russia-Ukraine war and in ongoing tensions like those between India and Pakistan, drones have proven to be elusive, low-cost threats that are difficult to stop. They are smaller, cheaper, and harder to detect than traditional aircraft—and they don’t play by the same rules.
Radar systems were built to detect large, metal objects moving at high altitudes. Many drones are small enough to avoid radar altogether. They can fly low, hugging the terrain, which makes them hard to track. In some cases, they’re even designed to look like birds or consumer gadgets, blending into the background.
Even when detected, drones present a tricky target. Shooting down a $1,000 drone with a $100,000 missile is not only inefficient but also unsustainable in prolonged conflict. Swarm tactics make things worse—multiple drones can be deployed at once, overwhelming even advanced air defense systems.
Traditional countermeasures like GPS jamming or signal disruption work, but only to a point. Newer drones are increasingly autonomous. They don’t rely on external commands during flight and can carry out missions even if communications are jammed or satellites are spoofed.
The lines between military and civilian drones are also fading. Cheap commercial drones can be modified for surveillance or even to drop explosives. This complicates efforts to monitor or regulate drone use in conflict zones.
Nations are developing laser weapons, electronic counter-drone systems, and integrated radar suites specifically designed for low-altitude threats. But the technology is evolving fast, and every new solution is quickly met with a workaround.
In this arms race, drones offer a lot of punch for very little cost—and that imbalance is one of the biggest challenges militaries face today.
