A new drone hunter has appeared in the arsenal of the Russian military. The "Zhmil" interceptor drone is designed to engage various types of aerial targets, and after a successful sortie, it can return and take to the sky again.

The "Zhmil" UAV is designed to intercept drones of various classes – from small reconnaissance quadcopters to heavy aircraft-type attack vehicles.

To engage targets, the drone is equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, which detonates near the aerial target before trajectories diverge. This method allows compensating for a small guidance error and increases the probability of destroying the drone with fragments.

The developers focused on high maneuverability and vertical takeoff capability. However, the maximum speed of the device is lower than some aircraft-type drones, so a head-on attack is used to intercept them. A version with a thermal imaging camera is provided for operation in the dark.

Another feature of the "Zhmil" is its reusability. If the interception did not occur and the device was not lost, it can be safely landed, prepared for a new sortie, and used again.

Practical application has shown that the "Zhmil" is capable of engaging both heavy multi-rotor platforms, including "Baba Yaga", and high-speed aircraft-type drones like "Lyutyi". This expands the range of targets for the new interceptor and makes it a versatile means of combating unmanned aerial vehicles.