Kyiv Startup Unveils Handheld Device That Lets Ukrainian Troops See Russian Drone Video

A Kyiv startup has rolled out a 10‑ounce handheld receiver that allows Ukrainian units to view live video streams from Russian drones. The device, called the D·Vision SDR, captures unencrypted camera feeds and displays them on a screen, giving soldiers a real‑time picture of a drone’s path and target. At roughly 10 ounces, it weighs less than half of other Ukrainian receivers that tip the scales at a couple of pounds. It also tunes to the radio bands adopted by newer Russian Molniya drones since June, expanding the range of drones it can track. Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, a radio specialist advising Ukraine’s president, warned in a June Facebook post that “most detectors don’t see these frequencies, or see them poorly,” and cautioned that relying too much on such gadgets could be dangerous. He added that a future shift to digital video could make analog‑based receivers obsolete. In August, The New York Times reported that some Molniya drones now use AI guidance powered by Nvidia chips and emit no broadcast signals, a development that could block the handheld’s ability to pick up video. While the D·Vision SDR is being praised for its low weight and ability to turn enemy surveillance back on the attacker, experts say its edge may fade as Russia upgrades to encrypted or signal‑free drones. ## Context The device works by picking up analog video signals that Russian drones broadcast openly; as drones move toward encrypted digital streams or completely silent AI‑driven models, the method loses effectiveness, highlighting a rapid tech race in the conflict.