Ukrainian drone interceptor unit Posipaky has successfully shot down two new Russian Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles, volunteer Serhiy Sternenko reported, publishing video footage of one of the intercepts.
Ukrainian intelligence officials previously identified these drones as potential reconnaissance assets and decoy targets designed to reveal Ukrainian air defense positions or overload defense systems. The aircraft reportedly can also carry a warhead weighing up to 15 kilograms.
The drone's fuselage features a delta-wing configuration similar to the Shahed-136 but significantly smaller in dimensions. Most components used in this Russian UAV are of Chinese origin, according to Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate.
"Almost half of them: flight controller with autopilot, navigation modules and antennas, air speed sensor and Pitot tube – from one Chinese company CUAV Technology, which specializes in research, development and production of system modules and applications for UAVs," according to the intelligence report.
The drone is also equipped with a Chinese copy of the Australian RFD900x data transmission module manufactured by RFDesign. Like the original sample, the Chinese product is designed for long-range data transmission up to 40 kilometers in direct line of sight, depending on the antenna.
This device enables data transmission channels from the drone to its ground station or between UAVs, thereby expanding reconnaissance capabilities. The Shahed-type drone is fitted with a Chinese DLE-60 engine and electronic ignition module.
The intercepts highlight ongoing Ukrainian efforts to counter evolving Russian drone technology that increasingly relies on Chinese-manufactured components for critical flight systems and communication equipment.
In October 2022, CUAV Technology announced restrictions on supplying its products to both Ukraine and Russia to prevent their use in military applications. However, in 2023, Russia presented a vertical takeoff drone as an original development, which turned out to be a CUAV product available on Aliexpress.
Militarnyi notes that DLE engines were previously used by Russian developers in the Gerbera and Parodiia decoy drones. KST servos have appeared in the Shahed-136 drones, V2U, aerial bomb glide kits.
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