Ukrainian Drone Interception System VARTA DroneHunter Presented in Latvia

The VARTA DroneHunter is a drone interception system designed to be mounted on quadcopter-type UAVs. It is intended for the kinetic neutralization of small and medium-sized unmanned aerial vehicles on the battlefield.

Militarnyi’s correspondent reported the details of this Ukrainian innovation during the Drone Summit 2025 held in Riga.

At the defense exhibition, the Ukrainian company VARTA presented its anti-drone system featuring a dual 12-gauge barrel configuration. The system incorporates a recoil mitigation mechanism that employs a simultaneous counter-shot to stabilize firing performance.

The double-barreled device is equipped with a specialized anti-drone round featuring electric ignition. Its effective firing range allows for destroying small and medium-sized drones at distances between 5 and 20 meters.

According to the developers, the system weighs 2.3 kilograms and can be integrated with FPV drones ranging in size from 7 to 15 inches. Integration requires only calibration and fine-tuning to match the drone’s onboard software.

“Our primary objective is to target small and medium UAVs. This is a low-cost product priced at €300, which includes a basic ammunition load of 12 ready-to-use rounds. We are currently partnering with drone manufacturer LuckyStrike, which is equipping their UAVs with our systems,” a company representative stated.

The developers report that several Ukrainian military units are already testing their device under combat conditions on the battlefield. Although it is still undergoing codification by the Ministry of Defense, it is already available on the military marketplace Brave1 Market.

To ensure the effective deployment of the interception kit, the developers have opted against direct sales of their product, choosing instead a tailored delivery model:

“Military units use a variety of drone models with different software, so to maximize effectiveness, we request the drone from the unit and perform the integration and calibration ourselves. In a lab setting, we test for balance and compensation, then return a fully assembled and mission-ready system to the customer.”

The company is also developing the next-generation interceptor, which will feature four 12-gauge barrels loaded with more powerful ammunition. This new version is currently undergoing field testing by the developers.

The upcoming system is expected to engage enemy drones at distances of up to 50 meters and will be capable of neutralizing not only larger UAVs but also ground-based robotic platforms.

Militarnyi also reported on the use of other physical drone countermeasure systems by Ukrainian forces on the front lines. For example, Ukrainian troops have been actively employing net launchers to take down reconnaissance drones such as the Mavic.