This learning environment is an educational summary of open sources on drones in and around the Russia-Ukraine war. This chapter accounts for the sources used: by topic (§ 13.2), as a register (§ 13.3), the doctrinal framework (§ 13.4) and the images (§ 13.5).
| Item | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To account for the open sources used for the chapters and reference cards of this learning environment. |
| Method | The material was built from a fixed set of summarised open sources (think tanks, trade press, OSINT, Wikipedia, official publications from ICAO, EASA, NATO and the EP), updated to mid-2026 knowledge. Altitudes and distances are rounded; where sources differ, a range is given. |
| Updates | Since August 2026 cards are updated with developments from the RU Mil Tracker (D50). The card then shows a Source row with the tracker number and the original source; those sources are included here. |
| Reference framework | Classification schemes (NATO, US DoD) are listed separately in § 13.4: the material aligns with them, but they are not cited sources. |
| Reliability | Drone technology and employment change in weeks, not years. Production and loss figures differ strongly between sources. One card (SuperCam S350) rests on general open-source reference without a recorded specific source (D68); this is stated explicitly. |
| Party sources | HUR, SBU, ArmyInform and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence are parties to the conflict. Their claims on range, numbers and interceptions are reported as claims, not verified facts, and are marked as such. |
| Images | Photos from Wikimedia Commons under a free licence; the relief under the map is from Natural Earth (public domain). See § 13.5. |
Note
This learning environment is a training aid, not an intelligence product. Always verify independently before operational use.