In Russia, testing has been completed for the new "Shershen" interceptor drones. Their main task is to cover the positions of heavy flamethrower systems (TOS) and strategically important civilian facilities.
The "Shershen" exists in two versions. The compact drone was developed to destroy targets at ranges of up to 50 m, while the larger vehicle will be useful at distances of up to 200 m.
One of the developers, Maksim, said that the device detects targets using high-resolution video cameras. For operation at night, infrared cameras and thermal imagers are provided.
Our vehicle destroys a drone with a kinetic strike, that is, by ramming it. Its weight is enough to break the propellers or short-circuit the contact fuse with whiskers on an FPV kamikaze drone, which will lead to self-detonation.
According to him, four "Shershen" drones can be installed on the upper surface of a TOS launcher, which will provide a 360-degree view, that is, all-round defense.
The idea of interceptor drones is not new; they are being actively developed in different countries. In Belarus, a compact unmanned aircraft was presented with a warhead of up to 3 kg, a speed of 200 km/h, and the ability to detect targets at ranges of up to 4.5 km.