Ukraine has introduced the "Sting," a new drone designed to take down Russian-operated Shahed-136 drones, according to The Telegraph.
Developed by the Wild Hornets group, the Sting offers a cheaper, faster way to defend against these drones.
It can reach speeds over 160 km/h (100 mph) and fly at altitudes up to 3,000 meters (10,000 feet), making it ideal for tracking and intercepting Shahed-136s, which have been widely used in attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Operators control the Sting through VR goggles, and future upgrades are expected to include AI to improve accuracy.
The Sting follows a simple quadcopter design, with a camera and warhead in the center, and is much more affordable than traditional air defense systems.
Russia reportedly produces over 6,000 Shahed-style drones each year at a plant in Yelabuga, Tatarstan. With attacks reaching up to 80 drones a day, Ukraine’s air defense systems have been stretched thin, relying heavily on expensive Western missiles.
The Sting is expected to relieve some of this pressure by providing a low-cost way to intercept Shahed drones.
Earlier this year, Ukraine also created the world’s first military unit focused on drone warfare, with plans to boost domestic drone production. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a goal to produce 1.5 million drones this year and increase production to four million annually.
