Ukraine’s New ELF-P Drone Targets Russian Orlan and ZALA Reconnaissance Drones

Ukrainian developers from the Brave1  cluster have unveiled a new drone, the ELF-P, specifically designed to target and destroy Russian reconnaissance drones such as Orlan, ZALA, and SuperCam, announced Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov on December 6.

"Russian forces rely on reconnaissance drones to guide Iskander and Lancet strikes. Shooting down UAVs with air defense missiles is both expensive and inefficient. That’s why participants of Brave1 are actively working on more cost-effective solutions," Fedorov explained.

According to Fedorov, the ELF-P, has already proven its effectiveness in combat. Ukrainian soldiers have deployed the drone across several fronts, including Kharkiv, Sumy, Kursk, and Zaporizhzhia.

"We have numerous confirmed cases of ELF-P successfully neutralizing Russian reconnaissance drones," Fedorov added.

Minister of Digital Transformation highlights that the Brave1 initiative has played a key role in advancing the drone’s capabilities, helping the manufacturer navigate NATO codification standards and conduct field testing in combat conditions.

"Now, the manufacturer is refining the drone to enable it to destroy Shahed drones as well," Fedorov noted.

Previously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered the first batch of domestically produced Peklo  rocket drones to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.