The drone discovered last week in Kyiv Oblast has been identified as the new Russian multi-purpose “Gerbera” unmanned aerial vehicle, says Militarnyi after a comparison of images in Ukrainian media and a video released by Russian occupiers which showed their new military drone model.
Russia has started using a drone with a foam plastic body in recent weeks. On 28 July, the Russian unit “Stalin’s Falcons” released a video showing a “Gerbera” UAV developed by OKB Gastello. The drone is reported to be used for reconnaissance, utilized as a kamikaze drone, or as a decoy for air defense systems.
Based on earlier photos from Kyiv region, the drone found on 24 July was missing its warhead, suggesting it was performing a reconnaissance or other non-combat role. The video footage indicates that the strike version of the “Gerbera” uses a television camera for manual targeting, similar to those installed on FPV drones.
The precision of the strike depends on the operator’s skill, as evidenced by the propaganda video where the drone did not hit the target directly but exploded nearby.
The drone’s operational range with a warhead appears limited. However, it might also use another drone with a relay for guidance, similar to Russia’s use of the “Lancet” loitering munition. The downed or suppressed drone in the Kyiv region contained two 3/4G antennas and a modem with a SIM card, which could provide a more stable communication channel for transmitting video to the operator’s control unit via the Ukrainian mobile network.
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The exact flight range and payload weight of a Russian “Gerbera” UAV are currently unknown, but its capability of reaching Kyiv Oblast suggests it can cover at least several hundred kilometers. It is likely that the drones are produced at the special economic zone “Alabuga” near Yelabuga in Tatarstan, Russia, where “Shahed/Geran” drones are also manufactured.
