Ukraine shows for the first time how it used a Sting interceptor drone to destroy Shahed
To combat Russian-Iranian Shahed strike drones, the Defence Forces have deployed a new Sting interceptor drone. A video of its successful use was published by the Ukrainian group Wild Hornets, which was the first public confirmation of its work against Shahed.
Here's What We Know
The released footage shows the Sting, equipped with a thermal imaging camera, catching up with Shahed at a considerable altitude, above the clouds, and hitting him in the lower part. The quality of the footage allows us to confirm that the target was indeed the Shahed, and not a Gerber decoy, which has been intercepted many times before. This can be identified by the distinctive wingtips and Pitot tubes on each wing.
The development of the Sting interceptor drone was first announced in October 2024. According to the developers, it should become a cheaper alternative to anti-aircraft missiles, which are sometimes used to intercept the Shahed. The Sting can reach speeds of over 160 km/h and climb to an altitude of about 3 km.
It is a quadcopter with a classic design and a large dome in the centre, which houses the warhead and camera. It is controlled from the ground using VR glasses, which gives the operator an accurate view of the flight path. In the future, Sting will be equipped with an artificial intelligence targeting system.
According to a representative of the Wild Hornets, the cost of the Sting interceptor drone is "ten times lower" than that of the Shahed drone, making it an effective solution for saving scarce anti-aircraft missiles.
Source: Telegram
