What are Dragon drones?

Dragon drones essentially release a substance called thermite — a mixture of aluminium and iron oxide — developed a century ago to weld railroad tracks.

What are Dragon drones?

About Dragon drones:

  • Dragon drones essentially release a substance called thermite — a mixture of aluminium and iron oxide — developed a century ago to weld railroad tracks.
  • Working
    • When ignited (usually with the help of an electrical fuse), thermite triggers a self-sustaining reaction that is quite difficult to extinguish. 
    • It can burn through almost anything, from clothes to trees to military-grade vehicles, and can even burn underwater. On humans, it causes severe, possibly fatal, burns and bone damage.
    • On humans, it causes severe, possibly fatal, burns and bone damage.
    • Combining thermite with high-precision drones that can bypass traditional defences makes dragon drones ‘highly effective’ and ‘dangerous’
  • In recent time these dragon drones are believed to have been first deployed in the Russia-Ukraine war around September.
  • International regulation 
    • The use of thermite in war is not prohibited under international law. 
    • However, the use of such incendiary weapons against civilian targets is barred under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons — Cold War-era guidance issued under the auspices of the United Nations.

Q1: What are Tethered Drones?

A tethered drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle tethered to the ground. It consists of a base station on the ground and the drone, which is connected to the station through the tether (cable).

Source: What are ‘dragon drones’, the latest weapon being used in Russia-Ukraine war?

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