Ukraine shoots down Russian Orlan 'mother drone' carrying FPVs for first time, military says

Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners shot down a Russian Orlan drone carrying two first-person-view (FPV) drones under its wings for the first time, the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade reported on Aug. 22.

This marks the first time the Ukrainian military has destroyed a so-called "mother drone" carrying other UAVs, the brigade claimed.

"Anti-aircraft gunners from the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade destroyed an enemy Orlan drone carrying two FPV drones under its wings," the unit said in a Facebook post.

"Prior to this, the pilots of the pursuit platoon had already shot down dozens of enemy reconnaissance drones — Orlan, Zala, and Supercam — but this was the first time they had managed to destroy a mother drone."

The Orlan is a Russian-developed reconnaissance drone widely used by Russia in Ukraine. Feared by Ukrainian soldiers, it often serves to target Russian artillery attacks. It can travel 600 kilometers and climb to an altitude of 5,000 meters.

Ukraine has previously reported downing high-altitude Orlan drones.

Innovations in drone warfare are a key component of Ukraine's defense strategy against Russia. Kyiv is reportedly developing its own version of a drone-carrier in partnership with the German defense company Quantum Systems.

The Sparta is designed to carry two FPV drones with a combat radius of 200 km (124 miles.)