Journalists can borrow a WHOOVER 3 drone detector free of charge at the Institute of Mass Information’s regional hub Mediabaza Odesa / Kherson in Odesa.
WHOOVER 3 is a compact device for detecting analog video signal from FPV drones. It is a useful tool for reporters working in dangerous areas, in particular near the front line.
The device helps spot potential threats in time and boosts one’s safety while on editorial assignment.
In addition to the detector, Mediabaza Odesa / Kherson offers other equipment for on-the-ground reporting, such as bulletproof vests, helmets, and first-aid kits.
The detector was donated to the Mediabaza by the NGO Kherson Oblast Public Journalism Agency MIST.
To borrow the device, journalists can contact Mediabaza Odesa / Kherson by messaging them on Facebook.
Earlier, documentary photographer Viacheslav Ratynskyi shared his experience working with drone detectors with the Institute of Mass Information.
The Institute of Mass Information insists that as the threat of Russian FPV drone strikes grows, the journalist protection protocols should be revised: in particular, reporters must be allowed to use self-defense means such as drone detectors.
The Institute of Mass Information’s Safety Library has been in operation since 2014. The IMI has been delivering safety gear for working in combat zones and energy equipment to journalists since 2022. Media workers have used this service over 12,000 times. To apply for equipment, fill out this form.
The Mediabazas are a network of 15 regional hubs created by the Institute of Mass Information in 2022 to support the work of independent journalists amid Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine. The Mediabazas offer journalists free safety gear, training, a work space with a power supply and Internet connectivity, etc.
The Mediabaza in Kherson only issues equipment at this time.
