Russia’s New Decoy Drone is Made Entirely of Chinese Components

The Defense Intelligence has published a detailed analysis of a new Russian drone used as a decoy and a means of detecting Ukrainian air defense positions.

A detailed list of its components is published on the War & Sanctions website.

Despite its primary purpose of accompanying long-range drones as a decoy, according to intelligence, the aircraft can also carry a warhead weighing up to 15 kg.

The fuselage of the unmanned aircraft is shaped like a delta wing, similar to the Shahed-136, but significantly smaller. All components and blocks of onboard electronics are of Chinese origin.

Almost half of them: the flight controller with autopilot, navigation modules and antennas, airspeed sensor, and Pitot tube – are from a Chinese company CUAV Technology, which specializes in the research, development, and production of system modules and applications for UAVs.

In October 2022, the company announced restrictions on the supply of its products to Ukraine and the Russian Federation to prevent their use for military purposes.

However, in 2023, the Russians presented a vertical takeoff UAV allegedly of their own design, which was later revealed to be a CUAV Technology product available on AliExpress.

In addition to CUAV products, such UAVs use

• Chinese engine and electronic ignition module DLE-60,
• KST servos,
• Razer video camera manufactured by Foxeer Technology,
• Mayatech RFD900X data transmission module,
• ReadyToSky video transmitter,
• Hobbywing Technology power regulator
• HRB Power battery.

The UAV is also equipped with a Chinese copy of the Australian RFD900x data module by RFDesign. Like the original model, the Chinese product is designed to transmit data over long distances (up to 40 km in line of sight, depending on the antenna).

This device enables you to establish a data transmission channel between the drone and its ground station, or between two UAVs, thereby expanding reconnaissance capabilities.

DLE engines have been previously used by Russian designers in the Gerbera and Parodya UAVs, KST servos in the Shahed-136 (Geran-2) and V2U UAVs, universal planning and correction modules, and aerial bombs.

Defense Intelligence analysts previously published a detailed analysis of the design of the new Iranian Shahed-136 with thermal imaging guidance, which started to enter service in Russia in June this year.