Gerbera Drone Was a Decoy—Now Russia Uses It to Carry FPV Drones

Ukrainian specialists have identified wreckage of a Russian Gerbera multifunctional drone that appears to have been used as a carrier for an FPV drone, according to Ukrainian military radio-technology expert and Defense Ministry adviser Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, who disclosed the finding on February 3.

The FPV drone itself was not recovered at the crash site. According to Beskrestnov, it could have been configured either as a strike platform or for reconnaissance.

Using a carrier drone allows Russian forces to deliver FPV drones over significantly longer distances without draining the FPV’s battery during transit.

The Gerbera drone features a lightweight foam-based airframe, making it relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture and launch. Russian forces began actively deploying this model against Ukraine in 2024.

Depending on the mission, the Gerbera platform has been used for electronic intelligence gathering, as a one-way attack drone, or as a decoy designed to overwhelm Ukrainian air defense systems.

Ukrainian analysts say the drone’s modular role highlights Russia’s continued experimentation with low-cost unmanned systems to extend reach and complicate air defense operations.

Earlier, Russia used a Shahed-type attack drone equipped with an air-to-air missile for the first time, marking a new escalation in its attempts to target Ukrainian aircraft.

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