The Ukrainian 1ms team has unveiled a new technology called Smart Mast, a rapidly deployable mobile telescopic mast designed to enhance drone communication capabilities on the battlefield. Serving as a signal relay, the Smart Mast improves the connection quality for reconnaissance and FPV drones actively conducting operations in frontline combat areas.
Traditionally, setting up drone communication relay systems has been time-consuming, often taking upwards of 40 minutes. The Smart Mast revolutionizes this timeline by deploying in just one to two minutes, leveraging electric drives, telescopic supports, and foldable legs to enable fast and efficient setup by a single operator.
The system includes a sophisticated tilt-and-pan antenna mechanism that enables operators to direct the antenna precisely toward drones to maintain continuous signal flow and strengthen command and control links. Plans are underway to add automatic tracking capabilities, which will empower the mast to autonomously follow the drone’s movements for uninterrupted communication.
Smart Mast is available in different heights to suit varied operational needs, with the most common versions being 4 and 6 meters tall. Lightweight and portable, the system can be readily moved and deployed by frontline troops, providing a crucial technological edge for Ukraine’s unmanned aerial vehicle operations in contested environments.
