Ukrainian company unveils new shotgun-equipped drone to hunt Russian aircraft and troops

Ukrainian drone manufacturer Sky Defenders has tested a new unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a shotgun, according to Militarnyi.

Unmanned systems and drones have become one of the most crucial elements of modern warfare—constantly evolving, holding the front line, advancing positions, protecting Ukrainian soldiers, and destroying Russian troops and equipment.

The drone has a standard fixed-wing aircraft design and is launched from the ground using a catapult. In the nose section, a shotgun with an iron sight for accurate shooting during flight is mounted. To aid in target acquisition, a rotating digital camera is installed on top of the drone, which is also used on the ZigZag interceptor drone.

To maintain high speed and increase the platform’s payload capacity, engines are mounted on each wing. The use of drones armed with shotguns and automatic rifles is already practiced by Ukrainian forces on the front lines and has proven effective in eliminating Russian occupiers.

For example, drone operators from the 30th Mechanized Brigade mounted a double-barrel shotgun on a quadcopter-type drone, which is used to intercept Russian reconnaissance drones.

According to the brigade’s press service, as of 15 January 2025, this drone destroyed 20 Russian unmanned aerial vehicles. This drone is capable of targeting drones and engaging Russian troops on the ground, as it uses buckshot rounds that are effective over a wide area.

Recently, Ukraine’s Defense Forces have deployed an FPV drone armed with a 5.45 mm AK-74 Kalashnikov assault rifle.

A drone called Queen of the Hornets, equipped with an AK-74, was used to clear out Russian infantry. The Wild Hornets unit noted that this invention was created and tested by soldiers of the BULAVA unit.

In March 2025, Ukrainian forces developed a new aerial defense system using tethered aerostats as platforms for launching interceptor drones against incoming threats, according to images circulating on social media platforms.

The system, mounted on balloons produced by Ukrainian startup Aerobavovna, appears designed to detect incoming Russian long-range kamikaze drones using infrared cameras before launching counter-drones to intercept them. The aerostat appears to function as both a detection platform and a launch system, with infrared sensors mounted underneath the balloon to spot approaching threats.

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