Russian UAVs Begin Using Net Guns to Counter Interceptor Drones

Russian UAVs have started using net guns against interceptor drones in an attempt to avoid interception by Ukrainian drones.

Serhii Flash, adviser to the president of Ukraine on defense technology development, reported this on September 1.

Soldiers from the Signum unmanned systems battalion of the 59th Separate Assault Brigade showed him a Knyaz Veshchiy Oleg UAV equipped with a net gun, which it uses when attacked by a Ukrainian drone to avoid interception.

The following day, Serhii posted a new video, this time showing a Russian Supercam reconnaissance UAV using a net against a Ukrainian interceptor drone.

Back in 2024, Militarnyi reported that Russia was experimenting with ways to protect reconnaissance UAVs from Ukrainian FPV interceptor drones.

In particular, the drones were equipped with radio-signal analyzers that detect an approaching FPV drone by its video signal, after which the system activates a radio jammer.

Electronic warfare systems were also spotted on Russian ZALA 421 UAVs at the time, including the Zerkaltse electronic warfare system.

Meanwhile, Russian UAVs were being equipped with automatic evasion algorithms: when an interceptor approached, the drone changed course and altitude, performing a programmed evasive maneuver.

Since 2025, Ukrainian troops have begun finding rear-view cameras on downed Shahed drones, installed both on top of and underneath the fuselage.

Additional antennas were also spotted at the ends of the tail, which may have been used to transmit a video signal.
When a rear-view camera was first discovered on a Russian Orlan UAV, it was assumed that it was intended to detect Ukrainian interceptor drones attacking from behind.

The camera likely allows the operator to monitor an approaching Ukrainian interceptor and, depending on the situation, perform an evasive maneuver or deploy a net gun to disrupt the attack.