May 17, 2025
The Ruta OWA drone is actively used by Ukrainian forces for strikes at ranges up to 300 km, now to receive a new visual navigation system, tested in combat conditions.
Destinus Ruta, essentially a miniature cruise missile but often called a “missile drone,” will receive a new navigation system enabling high-precision strikes in contested environments with denied access to GPS and other means of satellite navigation, in particular due to the enemy electronic warfare countermeasures.
The new navigation and guidance system will be provided by Spanish company UAV Navigation, part of Grupo Oesía, which announced entering an agreement with the Ukrainian Destinus.
As noted, this guidance, navigation, and control system was tested in “validated in real-world combat conditions, including GNSS-denied environments or under jamming and spoofing attacks” — apparently in Ukraine. The system supports navigation in low-altitude flight and is also responsible for terminal guidance.
Having analyzed the line of UAV Navigation products, Defense Express presumes that the operating principle of the proposed solution is a visual navigation system similar to DSMAC. It takes images of the surface underneath mid-flight to identify the location through comparison with a reference. Usually, this technology is used in full-fledged cruise missiles but progress has made it possible to make miniature variants and reduce its cost.
It is also worth noting that Ukraine’s use of the Ruta missile drone was disclosed in late 2024, at the time it was undergoing tests. Later, Destinus reported on the delivery of another of its products, the propeller-driven Lord UAV with a strike range of 750–2,000 km, to the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
The Ruta mini-cruise missile, according to the announced specifications, has an operational range of 300 km. The warhead weight or general payload capacity are not revealed, but analysts assume it may well be in the range of tens, up to a hundred kilograms.
Earlier Defense Express pointed out that Ukraine has a whole new branch of the armed forces named the Unmanned Systems Forces, becoming the first country to establish a corps specializing in drone warfare in its structure on such a scale.
It’s time to test them out on russian oil refineries. None have been targeted for months now. Is this more interference from the jellyfish?
I have also been trying to figure out why the oil infrastructure isn’t being attacked anymore. Either, it’s like you said, the usual jellyfish decision, or Ukraine doesn’t want to upset the low oil price. New attacks could raise the oil price again. Maybe not by much, but enough to offset the losses to the mafia state through the attacks.
Mafia land, true to type are threatening a nuclear test tonight. They must be terrified of these sanctions being applied. Someone said it’s russia showing their power. I disagree completely. IMO it shows how weak mafia land are.
I have to agree with you there. This is even a sign of desperation.
Good news from Romania. It appears the pro Russian got his ass kicked in the election today.
Yes, I wanted to post an article about it, but got sidetracked. Good news for Ukraine AND Romania.
“Usually, this technology is used in full-fledged cruise missiles but progress has made it possible to make miniature variants and reduce its cost.”
A true and workable navigation system that’s independent of the GPS system would be a remarkable achievement, making any unmanned aerial vehicle much more effective. Maybe it’s superfluous to say this, but I hope that the Ukrainians have taken steps to prevent this technology to fall into the paws of orcs, maybe through a self-destructive system or an anti-tampering scheme.