Ukraine Sets Record With FPV Drone Strike 102 km Behind Russian Lines

Ukrainian FPV drone operators say they have set a new range record by striking a target 102 kilometers away with a quadcopter-type FPV drone, without using a carrier drone or “mothership” system, according to Serhii Sternenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s Defense Minister, on May 26.

The reported strike was disclosed through Sternenko, along with messages confirming the result. The correspondence stated that the target had been found and hit at a distance of more than 100 kilometers.

According to available information, the drone struck a Russian UAZ “Bukhanka”  vehicle deep in the rear of Russian forces.

Ukrainian troops noted that Russian vehicle activity is usually much lower at distances of around 100 kilometers from the front, since those areas are considered relatively safe from most traditional FPV drone threats.

The use of a quadcopter FPV drone at such a distance without an intermediate carrier marks a significant technological achievement. Long-range FPV strikes typically rely on relay drones, fixed-wing systems, or launch schemes in which a separate UAV carries the FPV drone closer to the target area.

Until now, extended-range FPV attacks were mostly associated either with fixed-wing drones or combined launch systems that used another drone to deliver the strike platform closer to the target.

The reported 102-kilometer strike points to rapid Ukrainian progress in communications, power supply, navigation, and long-distance control-link stability.

Such capabilities expand Ukraine’s strike window, allowing FPV systems to reach logistics vehicles, transport, command posts, and other targets far beyond Russia’s usual tactical rear.

Earlier, Ukrainian interceptor drone manufacturer Wild Hornets said its STING drone crews destroyed more than 300 aerial targets during a single day-and-night combat period, including one unit that reportedly achieved 120 interceptions on its own, setting a record.

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