Ukrainian forces have introduced another innovative FPV drone variation in their ongoing defense against Russian military advancements: drones equipped with shotgun-like barrels. The new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), referred to as “Winchester drones,” looks to have been designed specifically to hunt and destroy Russian drones in mid-air.
The Foundation for Assistance to Defenders of Ukraine, which has spearheaded the development and fundraising for these drones, shared footage of their operation on social media. In the videos, Ukrainian drones can be seen engaging Russian UAVs over battlefields, firing precise shotgun blasts that send the opposing drones crashing to the ground. The dual-barrel shotgun design appears to leverage wide pellet dispersion, a feature that increases the likelihood of hitting small, nimble airborne targets. The Foundation stated, “For the first time on video – drones-winchesters shoot down other drones with a shot.”
Ukrainian drone armed with shotguns used to intercept enemy drones.https://t.co/WswCQ3YkBJ pic.twitter.com/Jha3htGyxG
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) December 28, 2024
The shotgun-like barrel system, despite its lack of stopping power compared to rifle rounds, looks well-suited for this purpose due to their broader pellet spread. The drones are believed to employ a recoilless firing system, with a counterweight mechanism that balances the force of the shotgun discharge, preventing destabilization of the UAV.
Some mil blogger Telegram accounts have also suggested that Ukraine’s shotgun-equipped drones may utilize AI-driven target acquisition and engagement systems. The statements speculate that the drones intercept enemy FPVs using automated guidance likely achieved through electro-initiation of the powder charge once the target is captured in the frame.Russian forces have previously developed similar systems. A Russian journalist, Alexander Kots, previously shared images of drones equipped with shotgun-like pellet weapons, which also employed a counterweight balance recoilless design, though they have not been recorded in military use. The military-systems publication The Armourers Bench, has previously reported on this design in detail.
🚨New Video 🚨
Experimental Russian Recoilless Gun Drone
Watch here: https://t.co/6v5GALZyve#Drones #UkraineWar #UkraineRussiaWar️️ pic.twitter.com/jAnPxoJtfg
— Matthew Moss | Historical Firearms (@historicfirearm) September 15, 2024
Another video shared online shows a Russian individual crafting homemade “shotgun” cartridges for these anti-drone “fighter” FPVs. The process involves filling a length of PVC pipe with gunpowder extracted from mortar bombs, followed by adding metal shot.
A Russian makes homemade “shotgun” cartridges for use with anti-drone “fighter” FPVs.
A length of PVC pipe is filled with gunpowder from mortar bombs, and then metal shot.
How they are loaded on the drone and fired is unclear . pic.twitter.com/CqmXA6CweX— Roy🇨🇦 (@GrandpaRoy2) November 2, 2024
Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have been retrofitting drones with firearms, including weapons such as AK-74 assault rifles and various improvised systems. This approach requires addressing several technical challenges, including ensuring precise targeting capabilities and managing the recoil generated by the mounted weapons, which could destabilize the drones during operation.
