Russian forces are continually attacking Ukrainian cities with Shahed drones, resulting in casualties and destruction. Intercepting these drones is becoming increasingly difficult, as the occupiers employ complex maneuvers to evade Ukrainian air defense systems. A potential response to the use of Shahed drones could be the Ukrainian "Anti-Shaheds", which have recently come to light.
"Telegraph" spoke with aviation expert and researcher at NAU Valeriy Romanenko regarding this drone interceptor. He noted that this technology was new for Ukrainian developers — the initial prototypes did not yield the desired results. The issue lies in the design — the central body and the attached quadcopter. The expert emphasized that there are several crucial parameters for such weaponry, among which is speed.
The speed of a "Shahed" is approximately 185 km/h. The interceptor drone needs to achieve at least 200 km/h. "Developers have already reported reaching speeds of 280 km/h and even 320 km/h. This indicates that it will be possible to intercept Russian "Shaheds" using the most advantageous tactical maneuver — a "chase"," the expert points out. This method is more favorable because, during a head-on approach, there are only seconds to hit the target accurately. In the "chase" method, the anti-air drone pursues the enemy: "There is enough time for precise targeting for accurate destruction. The main vulnerable spot is the rear part of the engine — this means that the drone will not be able to continue flying in any case."
Romanenko also added that certain conditions are necessary for successfully destroying a "Shahed" with an anti-air drone. "This drone, due to its limited flight range, must be positioned along the flight path of the "Shahed," and there remains one problem — to identify and monitor the flight route." The expert suggests that such drones could be integrated into mobile units.
It's worth noting that the cost of a drone interceptor does not exceed 50 thousand dollars, while "Shaheds" are three times more expensive. As for the altitude, when it comes to destroying "Shaheds," the ceiling is not critical; any quadcopter can ascend to 500 meters. However, to shoot down reconnaissance drones, one must reach heights of 5 to 6 thousand meters, and an electric motor may lack the necessary power, the expert pointed out.
Previously, "Telegraph" reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces use the Soviet-made ZRK "Strela-10" to destroy Russian reconnaissance drones. The damage range is up to 5 km.