[M T]

If you didn't follow the link in Goose's message, you might have missed what I thought was the point of the article.

Ukraine's special forces have developed new software that allows drones to fly without the use of GPS, limiting the impact of Russian jamming.

The software, called Eagle Eyes, allows unmanned drones to travel using sight rather than satellite-based GPS navigation, The Economist reported.

It uses AI to compare live video of the area below the drone to a map made from photos and video that a reconnaissance aircraft previously collected, the report said.
...
The software can also recognize targets, like missile launchers and tanks, and can drop bombs or fly into them without the drone operator needing to give the order,

Using vision to hit a particular target based upon its visual features seems to me to be a different capability than following a map & imagery to a location.

Using Eagle Eyes, the drone should be better able to put ordnance on or surveil a particular location, without depending on GPS. (I also expect the maps to have both daylight visual and nighttime infra-red). If the same or different technology also includes the capability to find the current position of a mobile target, that would be a bonus. (I definitely agree that decoys and searches make it problematic. If used unwisely, the enemy can light up a launcher or jammer, shut down & move, and be ready to detect & destroy any drone that comes looking at the old position.)

I wonder if Ukraine pre-deploys these small drones to an area, perhaps landing them on rooftops or other inaccessible areas near previous launcher locations. When the launcher again is active, Ukraine can (if not jammed) give the order to take-off again but without as much transit time.

[M T]

If you didn't follow the link in Goose's message, you might have missed what I thought was the point of the article.

Ukraine's special forces have developed new software that allows drones to fly without the use of GPS, limiting the impact of Russian jamming.

The software, called Eagle Eyes, allows unmanned drones to travel using sight rather than satellite-based GPS navigation, The Economist reported.

It uses AI to compare live video of the area below the drone to a map made from photos and video that a reconnaissance aircraft previously collected, the report said.
...
The software can also recognize targets, like missile launchers and tanks, and can drop bombs or fly into them without the drone operator needing to give the order,

Using vision to hit a particular target based upon its visual features seems to me to be a different capability than following a map & imagery to a location.

Using Eagle Eyes, the drone should be better able to put ordnance on or surveil a particular location, without depending on GPS. (I also expect the maps to have both daylight visual and nighttime infra-red). If the same or different technology also includes the capability to find the current position of a mobile target, that would be a bonus. (I definitely agree that decoys and searches make it problematic. If used unwisely, the enemy can light up a launcher or jammer, shut down & move, and be ready to detect & destroy any drone that comes looking at the old position.)

I wonder if Ukraine pre-deploys these small drones to an area, perhaps landing them on rooftops or other inaccessible areas near previous launcher locations. When the launcher again is active, Ukraine can (if not jammed) give the order to take-off again but without as much transit time.