MINI SHARK Upgraded: Longer Flight, New Camera, and Optical Navigation

Ukrainian company Ukrspecsystems has demonstrated the upgraded reconnaissance drone “MINI SHARK 2025,” which the developers describe as a future replacement for Mavic-type quadcopters.

Andriy Rymaruk, the company’s deputy director, shared the announcement with Militarnyi’s correspondent.

The Ukrainian drone, which first flew in 2023, has received significant upgrades for tactical reconnaissance. Its flight time has doubled to 3 hours and 45 minutes, and its operational radius has increased from 35 to 60 kilometers.

With this upgrade, MINI SHARK now approaches the capabilities of the larger SHARK-D while remaining easy to operate: two people can manage it, and it can be launched manually.

The new version features a 360° camera, eliminating the need to rotate the body to change the viewing angle, as in the previous model. Optical and digital zoom allow it to track vehicles at up to 5 km and identify them from 3-5 km.

Rymaruk said the camera is available in thermal and daylight versions. A hybrid model combining day and night channels is planned, enabling operators to continue missions at dusk without having to land to switch cameras.

He added that, thanks to its small size and low noise level, the drone remains difficult to detect even at altitudes of 300-400 meters.

“When conditions are very poor or cloud cover is low in the tactical zone, it becomes a top product today,” Rymaruk said.

MINI SHARK is already in use by more than 80 crews for scouting enemy front and secondary defense lines and for locating enemy UAV teams.

When paired with FPV drones, it supports target acquisition and hit confirmation, which enabled one crew to destroy 84 enemy vehicles over three months.

The developers intend for MINI SHARK to replace Mavic-type quadcopters, which are gradually disappearing from the battlefield, with the transition expected by mid-2026.

Another battlefield advantage is the drone’s optical navigation, which allows it to fly without GPS — a key vulnerability for drones operating under Russian electronic warfare. Satellite navigation is still needed for takeoff, but developers plan to address this issue by this fall.