Nexis Interceptor Marks First Successful Strike on Shahed Drone

The Ukrainian Nexis interceptor drone has successfully downed its first Russian Shahed-136 drone, also known as Geran.

The first combat mission occurred at a speed of over 250 km/h, with the engine running at 84% thrust. Data from objective control confirmed that the target was completely destroyed in the air, according to Militarnyi on April 21.

Prior to this achievement, the company’s anti-aircraft drones were used to target Russian Lancet and Molniya drones. "Therefore, the transition to countering high-speed targets was only a matter of time," the company WinFly stated. The engineering team noted that it took nearly a year to move from the initial idea to a successful interception.

The design of the interceptor is unique to the manufacturer. "The product concept is completely original: no solution was copied, every component is thought out and balanced," the company said.

One significant advantage of the Nexis compared to similar systems is its flight time, as it can remain in the air for up to 25 minutes.

The cost of the technology remains a focus for the developers. "According to calculations, the price of the basic version of the interceptor will be about $1,293," the company reported. While the current model is operated manually by pilots, WinFly is working on adding autonomous features to the system.

The company founder, Taras, explained that the system is already integrated with radars and that a detection system is currently in development.

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"We are already integrated with radars, the detection system is under development, autonomous interception will also be implemented in the future. Our vision for the next year is fully autonomous interceptors that are launched and controlled from anywhere in the world," he said.

The WinFly Nexis can reach a top speed of 270 km/h, allowing it to catch a Shahed-136 during its cruising phase. It has a maximum operating altitude of 5,000 meters and a range of up to 30 km. The device can be ready for use within three minutes of deployment and functions during both day and night.

It has a takeoff weight of 3.5 kg and carries a payload of up to 600 g. The full complex includes the drone and a universal ground control station manufactured by WinFly.

On April 17, 2026, a Ukrainian drone pilot with the callsign “Hulk” revealed that his crew had destroyed approximately 200 targets, including 184 Shahed drones, since the unit began operations.

The crew set a remarkable record by eliminating 20 Shahed drones in a single day, with 17 of those interceptions occurring within just 90 minutes. Operating primarily with Sting interceptor drones, the team maintained a 95% success rate, even while flying in temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees.

The pilot emphasized that their primary goal was to detonate the drones’ warheads mid-air to prevent dangerous debris from falling on populated areas.

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