A top Ukrainian interceptor drone maker learned that faster isn’t always better when hunting Russian Shaheds

• Ukrainian company Wild Hornets initially designed its interceptor drone for higher speeds.

• During development, engineers decided to change the speed of the drone for more hover time.

• The interceptor is now one of the most well-known in Ukraine’s arsenal.

KYIV, Ukraine – At first only a faint whine could be heard in the distance. Then the sound grew sharper, louder, and suddenly the drone appeared above us; A shrill scream pierced the air as he passed by.

It was stated that the plane was a Ukrainian Sting plane. interceptor drone purpose built Hunt down Russian Shahed-type attack drones. His pilot knocked out the ground control station, a modest van full of screens, before making a few more passes and landing on the grass.

Business Insider observed Sting in action during a rare visit to a training site at an undisclosed location near Kiev last month.

Made by Ukrainian company Wild HornetsSting is among the country’s best-known stingers and is known to have shot nearly 1,500 people. Russian Shahed style drones only in April.

The sound of their screams is a testament to their high speed; Sting can reach speeds of approximately 175 mph. Early designs envisioned a weapon faster than this; but Wild Hornets realized that speed isn’t everything and decided to dial back the speed to strengthen other attributes.

Wild Hornets tested the first Sting prototype in late 2024, when Ukraine was looking for solutions. strengthen air defense Against worsening Russian drone attacks. In the spring of 2025, the preemptor carried out the first killing of Shahed.

A Wild Hornets spokesperson told Business Insider that Sting’s profile changed greatly during the research and development phase before mass production. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive industry developments.

Engineers initially focused on speed; Sting had a different shape and could reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour; this was much faster than Russia’s propeller-driven aircraft. Geran-2 drone (72 mph top speed) and roughly as fast as the first jet-powered version geran-3.

However, after combat testing and consultations with the Ukrainian military, Wild Hornets discovered that high speeds compromised Sting’s wandering time and were not necessarily the right solution.

In an interview, a Wild Hornets spokesman recalled the military saying, “Speed ​​is not always important. Time in the air is also important.” Lower speeds also increase Sting’s reliability in combat and make it easier to prepare for missions.

Despite this trade-off, speed remains what separates Sting from more mainstream players battlefield drones. And of course, there are moments when high speeds are optimal, such as when chasing Russian jet-powered drones.

Nazar, the Wild Hornets instructor who uses the call sign for security reasons, told Business Insider that the biggest difference between a preemptive drone and a regular drone. first-person view (FPV) drone The first is how fast it moves.

This speed is changing the way pilots fly interceptors, but the training pipeline may be short. Pilots who already know how to fly an FPV drone (a skill that can take up to a month to learn and apply effectively in combat) can learn to use the Sting in about a week, Nazar said. A. fast reaction time “It helps,” he said.

The current iteration of the Sting can stay airborne for more than 20 minutes, depending on speed, altitude and pilot skill. The drone can reach altitudes of around 23,000 feet but performs better closer to 16,000 feet.

A Sting unit costs less than $2,000; Shahed’s price tagit is often worth tens of thousands of dollars and is significantly cheaper than an interceptor missile.

Feedback from the Ukrainian military informs other Sting improvements; for example, Wild Hornets developed variants with the following features: different cameras for day and night operations as well as in various light conditions.

Russia also added Cameras for our martyrs For greater situational awareness, among other changes made in recent months to make the drones more maneuverable and survivable when tracked by Ukrainian interceptors.

A Wild Hornets spokesperson said Sting has become more effective over time. The catch rate ultimately depends on: experience and weatherHowever, some teams can achieve over 90% success.

In March, the company announced a new announcement. remote control technology“Hornet Vision” allows interceptor operators to pilot the Sting in safe locations hundreds of miles from the launch point, away from Russian targeting. Ukrainian air defense.

A Wild Hornets spokesman said this development was important. “This allows experienced pilots (top pilots) to control a greater number of weapon systems, to operate a greater number of unmanned aerial vehicles over longer distances,” they said.

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