The drones that destroyed the Russian planes were controlled by ArduPilot software created 18 years ago «in the basement»

On Sunday, the Internet was full of videos of Ukrainian drones hitting Russian strategic aviation. Everyone saw the ArduPilot inscription, and the authors of this software are delighted with the events.

Usage of ArduPilot has become almost a benchmark example of how the efforts of enthusiasts change the world. Open-source software for amateur drones has been controlling an attack that destroyed Russian strategic long-range bombers.

Дрони, що знищили російські літаки, керувалися ПЗ ArduPilot, створеним 18 років тому «у підвалі» — Illustration from the discussion of the role of ArduPilot in the attack / X

«This is ArduPilot, launched from my basement 18 years ago. Insanity»,” wrote one of the program’s creators, Chris Anderson, in a comment on LinkedIn under the attack video.

18 years after @Jrdmnz @jason4short and I created ArduPilot, here it is destroying large parts of the Russian air force. Crazy https://t.co/2SfPQHrcuA

— Chris Anderson (@chr1sa) June 1, 2025

In his post in X, he identified the co-authors of the software as Jordi Munoz and Jason Short. The latter also shared his feelings.

Wow. Ardupilot powered drones just took out half the Russian strategic bomber fleet. https://t.co/5juA1UXrv4

— Jason Short (@jason4short) June 1, 2025

«I would never have predicted such a result in my life. I just wanted to create flying robots. …ArduPilot-based drones just destroyed half of the Russian strategic bomber fleet,» Short wrote back to Anderson.

The open source program got its name from the miniature computers on the Arduino boardfor which it was originally designed. Its story began in 2007 when Anderson launched the website DIYdrones.com and assembled an autopiloted UAV from a Lego Mindstorms set.

Two years after Anderson’s drone flight, drone pilot Jordi Munoz won an autonomous drone competition with a small helicopter on autopilot. Munoz and Anderson founded 3DR, one of the first consumer drone companies, and released the first versions of the ArduPilot in 2009.

ArduPilot evolved over the next decade, receiving improvements from Munoz, Anderson, Short, and a host of other drone enthusiasts. The open source program is free and can be modified by anyone for a variety of purposes. The software can be paired with a home-made drone, displays a map of the area with access to GPS, allows you to create waypoints, and issues commands to the UAV.

If GPS and autopilot are unavailable due to circumstances, other auxiliary functions work. The program can automatically stabilize the drone in the air while the pilot focuses on moving to the next target. Pilots can switch the drone to barrage mode, and there is also a safety mode that keeps the drone in the air if the signal is lost.

One of the developers spoke about his attitude to the events on /r/ArduPilot. He did not comment on the military-political and moral sides, emphasizing that the authors are only interested in the technical side.

«This is not the first time the ArduPilot project has learned of such use, and it probably won’t be the last. We will not discuss our position, we are focused on providing you with the best tools to move your [drones] safely. That is our mission. The rest is for the UN or any organizations that can address ethical issues».

The ArduPilot Code of Conduct contains commitments from developers «not to knowingly support or facilitate the conversion of systems to weapons using ArduPilot». However, the program is not intended for sale, and the code is not a license agreement with the end user and does not contain legal restrictions.

According to open-source researchers, Ukrainian drones were controlled by operators via Russian mobile networks using a modem connected to Raspberry Pi boards. ArduPilot’s standalone modes helped operators compensate for delays and loss of communication during the attack.

Source: 404 Media