WWI Tactics Take Down Russian Drones

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Key Takeaways:

  • Video footage shows a Ukrainian Yak-52 aircraft shooting down a Russian Orlan-10 drone using small arms fire.
  • The event occurred near Odessa and involved a Ukrainian volunteer flying club.
  • The tactic employed resembles First World War-era dogfights, utilizing the Yak-52's superior speed to outmaneuver the drone.
  • The downed Orlan-10 drone is estimated to be worth between $87,000 and $120,000.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el4RH999QSI

Two weeks after Ukraine used a Light Sport aircraft modified as a kamikaze drone to attack a Russian drone factory, video proof of other outside-the-box tactics emerged this week of two guys in a Yak 52 shooting down a Russian drone with small arms. In a scene reminiscent of First World War dogfights, the much faster Yak (top speed about 100 knots) circles the Orlan-10 spy drone with its deployed emergency chute.

The video was shot near Odessa and it was apparently the handiwork of a “Ukrainian volunteer flying club.” According to commenters on the video the drone, which doesn’t carry weapons, is worth between $87,000 and $120,000.

Russ Niles

Russ Niles is Editor-in-Chief of AVweb. He has been a pilot for 30 years and joined AVweb 22 years ago. He and his wife Marni live in southern British Columbia where they also operate a small winery.
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