countering FPV and Shahed threats

While Shaheds continue to terrorize cities across Ukraine, FPV drones pose a serious danger for near-frontline cities like Kherson and Nikopol. Russians have been known to deliberately target civilians—including children and the elderly—with FPV drones. And while much attention has been given to the development of systems to counter Shaheds, the threat from short-range but widely deployed FPVs remains largely under-addressed.

Through my reporting, I aim to draw the international community’s attention not only to the high-profile topics—such as interceptor drones or unmanned ground vehicles—but also to other areas where Ukraine still lacks critical capabilities. It is essential that these less-discussed but urgent challenges receive adequate support, so that civilian protection can be strengthened, particularly in cities where the risks are extreme but residents continue to go about their daily lives despite the persistent danger.

Thank you for reading and supporting my work!

Search for the Best Counter-Shahed Tech Continues

German and Ukrainian officials believe that Russia is steadily increasing its production of Shahed-type drones, with the goal of conducting even larger long-range drone strikes—potentially deploying as many as 2,000 drones in a single night. If current trends in drone usage continue, Russia may achieve this capability by November 2025.

Also, Shaheds started performing a series of complex aerial maneuvers aimed at reducing the effectiveness of Ukrainian anti-air drones. This was stated by military radio technology specialist Serhii „Flash“ Beskrestnov. “I deliberately chose not to describe the details. What they do, what we understand, what we’re planning, and what we’re expecting — these are our secrets,” he added.

The expert also stated that Russians are actively using powerful Chinese modems on Gerbera UAVs, which allow for long-range radio communication with the drones. These Gerberas are actively conducting reconnaissance missions for Shaheds.

Ukrainian aviation expert Kostiantyn Kryvolap clarified that Shaheds use a flocking tactic, not swarming. They group together through pre-programmed instructions. Shahed flies from one point to another and doesn’t see the others around it. “We perceive them as flocks and sometimes incorrectly call them a „swarm. This can lead some to believe that a swarm control system already exists — but that’s not the case,” the expert added.

In an interview with NV, Kryvolap explained the advantages of light aircraft over interceptor drones: “You can’t cover the entire territory with interceptor drones or train a massive army of drone operators. For example, if 50 Shaheds are flying toward a city, and you need 10 operators per Shahed — where would you find 500 operators just to defend one city?”

Light aircraft, on the other hand, can fly at various altitudes across vast areas and carry out the same tasks that are currently being attempted with interceptor drones.

And if you place those interceptor drones on these aircraft, they’ll perform even better — because they won’t need to waste energy on taking off from the ground.

Read my large public post about seven solutions to the Shahed problem in Ukraine here.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen a couple of new interceptor drone types developed in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian company Venator Technologies unveiled a new development — the AngryCat interceptor drone, capable of autonomously neutralizing enemy UAVs. The innovation was publicly presented for the first time at the international exhibition LandEuro 2025 in Germany.

Thanks to its autonomous navigation systems — which include radar, acoustic sensors, and video/thermal cameras — AngryCat can detect and intercept targets without direct operator involvement. Additionally, the drone can function as a kamikaze to strike ground targets, expanding its capabilities.

The device weighs 12 kg, has a payload capacity of up to 1 kg, cruises at 250 km/h, and operates at altitudes of up to 4,500 meters. Its flight time is up to 15 minutes, providing a combat radius of approximately 30 km. AngryCat is launched via a pneumatic catapult, with about 25 minutes needed for launch preparation — making the system suitable for rapid response to aerial threats. The drone is capable of operating around the clock and in fully autonomous mode, minimizing the need for human control.

In addition to AngryCat, the company’s product line includes other systems, such as the FlyCat loitering munition.

The company is based in Kyiv and is part of the Octava Capital group. Read the interview with the Founder of Octava Defence here: “All known Ukrainian drone manufacturers are already standing at booths under foreign flags“.

Also, Ukrainian miltech project ODIN announced the successful testing and initial combat deployment of its integrated solution, ODIN Antishaheed, designed to effectively neutralize enemy drones such as the „Shahed“ and „Geran“ in the air. The system relies on high-speed interceptor drones of their own design, known as ODIN Win_Hit (cover photo).

Key technical specifications of ODIN Win_Hit:

Win_Hit can be launched from manual rigs, mobile ground launchers, or airborne carrier platforms.

ODIN invites further business and non-profit partners to join its funding programme for successive production batches, offering transparent oversight of fund allocation and direct delivery of systems to frontline units.

President Zelensky on July 25 urged Ukrainian drone manufacturers to boost production and ensure the country can launch at least 1,000 interceptor drones each day.

Share

Protecting Cities from Russian FPV Drones: Key Challenges

Ukrainian cities like Nikopol and Kherson are suffering from daily attacks by Russian FPV drones. While several solutions and innovations exist, the challenge of fully protecting civilians in these cities remains. The estimated cost of securing a medium-sized city is $15–20 million—an amount that represents a significant portion of most municipal budgets.