A Chinese technology company is willing to supply Russia with nearly $2.9 million worth of communications equipment for attack drones, potentially helping Russian UAVs operate deeper inside Ukraine.
Shenzhen Xingkai Technology offered to supply 500 mesh modems to a factory in Russia’s Alabuga special economic zone after an investigative journalist posed as a Russian military supplier, according to The Insider.
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The company quoted 19.5 million yuan, or approximately $2.87 million, for the shipment. Despite being told that the equipment was intended for military use, the manufacturer continued discussing the deal and suggested payments through accounts at DBS Bank, Ping An Bank and China Merchants Bank.
The Insider’s correspondent in Ukraine examined an Xingkai Tech mesh modem recovered from a Russian Gerbera drone. The investigation identified the Chinese manufacturer as a major supplier of communications equipment used in Russia’s Geran and Gerbera drones.
How mesh modems help Russian drones
Mesh modems allow drones to pass signals between one another, effectively creating a communications network in the air.
In simple terms, one drone can relay commands to another, helping it stay connected to its operator even when the direct signal is weak or unavailable. The technology can extend the range over which Russian forces control drones and allow them to operate farther into Ukrainian territory.
Unlike drones that rely solely on a direct connection with an operator, UAVs using mesh networks can transmit information through intermediate drones acting as signal relays.
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According to The Insider, Shenzhen Xingkai Technology accounts for around half of the market for high-performance mesh modems used in Russian Geran and Gerbera drones. The equipment is therefore a significant component of Russia’s drone communications supply chain.
The technology also allows Russian forces to maintain control of drones during flight and potentially exploit gaps in Ukrainian air defenses, the investigation reported.
Ukrainian military personnel warned in April that mesh modems used to control Shahed-type and Gerbera drones were allowing Russian forces to conduct reconnaissance deeper into Ukraine and expand their area of control.
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