Ukraine Releases First-Ever Footage of Russian FPV Launch From Gerbera Decoy Drone

A new video confirms that Russian forces are systematically deploying first-person view (FPV) drones directly from larger Gerbera-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), signaling a shift in Russia’s drone warfare tactics.

According to Serhii Beskrestnov, advisor to Ukraine’s Minister of Defense and better known by his callsign “Flash,” this launch method has now been observed on a daily basis.

He shared the footage on his Telegram channel, writing: “This is the moment of an FPV launch from a Gerbera drone. I mentioned this last week. We are recording such use every day.”

The video documents what appears to be the first clearly recorded instance of an FPV drone being launched in-flight from a Russian Gerbera UAV.

Earlier, Ukrainian specialists reported recovering wreckage of a Russian Gerbera drone fitted with a mounting system designed to carry an FPV drone.

The FPV itself was not found at the crash site and may have been configured either for strike missions or reconnaissance, indicating Russia’s early experiments with using Gerbera UAVs as carrier platforms rather than simple decoys.

This “mother-drone” configuration would allow FPV systems—typically limited in range—to be deployed closer to high-value rear targets without exposing them during transit. Analysts note that this could complicate early-warning and interception efforts by Ukrainian air defense.

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