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Russia Turns Spy Drone Into “Mother Drone”—Ukrainians Shoot It Down First Try
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Russian troops have modified their Orlan-30 reconnaissance drone into a carrier for smaller FPV attack drones—only to have the prototype shot down by Ukrainian interceptors, Ukraine’s 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade reported on August 22.
The interception was caught on video from the onboard camera of the Ukrainian FPV drone that destroyed the Russian UAV.
3 по ціні 1, кількість акційного товару обмежена 🔥
— Повернись живим (@BackAndAlive) August 22, 2025
Воїни одного з підрозділів Сухопутних військ збили розвідувальний БпЛА «Орлан», який ніс на собі два FPV-дрони.
Такого ми ще не бачили, хоча бачили вже багато 👀
Якою б не була задумка ворога, цього разу вона провалилась,… pic.twitter.com/KLewZFiJJq
“The air-defense unit of the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade destroyed an enemy Orlan ‘mother drone’ carrying two FPV drones under its wings,” the brigade wrote. “This is the first time we have downed such a modification of the Orlan.”
The Orlan, usually used for reconnaissance, was spotted carrying two quadcopter-style drones beneath its wings. Military analysts say the adaptation is meant to extend the range and payload of FPV drones.
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Instead of expending battery life flying long distances, the “mother drone” carries them closer to their targets, allowing them to strike with full power and heavier warheads.
However, in the footage released, no visible warhead was seen attached to the carried drones—suggesting either a smaller, less visible explosive payload, or that the drones were being tested for range and deployment capability.
Photos published by the Ukrainian charity fund Come Back Alive showed the Orlan-30 with two drones slung under its wings. One wing even showed signs of previous damage—possibly from an earlier Ukrainian attempt to intercept it.
This is believed to be the first confirmed use of an Orlan-30 in the “mother drone” role. While both Ukrainian and Russian forces have experimented with similar carrier concepts, this marks a new escalation in Russia’s battlefield drone tactics.
According to the military experts from Ukrainian defense media Defense Express, the carried drones appeared similar to Russia’s “Skvorets” FPV model, which has already been tested for deployment from larger UAVs.
Earlier, Ukrainian company Justifier Drones unveiled a new type of FPV interceptor drone designed to launch mid-air from a carrier drone. This innovation aims to significantly extend the operational range and altitude of drone interceptions.
