Gerbera (drone)
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The Gerbera is a Russian multi-purpose drone developed by the Chinese company Skywalker Technology Co., Ltd. It is designed for kamikaze missions, reconnaissance, and signal relaying to extend the operational range of other drones or enhance their resilience against electronic warfare.[1][2]
A decoy version of Gerbera also exists.[3]
Development
[edit]Gerbera is not listed in Skywalker Technology's product catalog, suggesting it was developed specifically under a contract with the Russian Federation. According to Ukrainian intelligence, Skywalker Technology assembles drone kits and ships them to Yelabuga, Russia, where they are finalized for operational use.[1][4]
The drone incorporates chips and components from Analog Devices and Texas Instruments (USA), NXP Semiconductors (Netherlands), STMicroelectronics and U-Blox (Switzerland), and XLSEMI (China).[4]
Features
[edit]The Gerbera drone has been observed equipped with components, including:[1]
- A stabilized camera from Topotek (KHY10S90).[4]
- A Mesh Network XK-F358 modem from Xingkay Tech.[4]
- DLE60 engine.[4]
These components, cost approximately $8,500 USD together. The mesh network allows interconnected drones to share data and relay signals from the operator, functioning as repeaters. This configuration increases resistance to electronic warfare systems, making it harder to disrupt the drone's operations.[1]
Capabilities
[edit]The Gerbera can be deployed in multiple configurations:[1]
- Kamikaze Drone - Equipped with an explosive warhead for suicide missions.
- Reconnaissance - Conducts surveillance and intelligence-gathering.
- Signal relaying - Extends the operational range of other drones.
Operational history
[edit]The Gerbera was originally used as a decoy to deceive air-defense systems, due to its visual similarity to the Iranian-built Shahed-136, but by mid-2025 it was also being used for reconnaissance and strikes.[5] On two occasions in July 2025, Gerbera drones entered Lithuanian NATO airspace, in what some analysts described as hybrid warfare provocations.[2]
Russian invasion of Ukraine
[edit]The Gerbera drone was first seen on the battlefield in late July 2024.[6] Gerbera decoys were used in large numbers during Russian barrages, distracting Ukrainian air defenses from other drones and missiles. In November 2024, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine identified some versions of the drone with warheads and reconnaissance capabilities.[6]
In April 2025, the first known case of a Gerbera drone being armed with a warhead and used for a direct tactical strike was documented.[7]
Incidents in Lithuania
[edit]On 10 July 2025, an unmanned aircraft flew into Lithuanian airspace from Belarus. It was initially thought to be a Shahed drone and was later identified as a Gerbera.[8] It crashed near the Šumskas border checkpoint, about one kilometer from the Belarus–Lithuania border. The Lithuanian Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament were taken to a shelter due to the incident.[9]
On 28 July 2025, another similar aircraft entered Lithuania from Belarus.[8] On 1 August, after four days of searching, the crashed drone was found at the Gaižiūnai military training area in central Lithuania. Preliminary assessments suggested that it was a Gerbera.[10] The Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned a representative of the Belarusian embassy and demanded an explanation of the 28 July incident and the prevention of any further violations.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "They Can't Even Make a Foam Drone Without China: Skywalker Technology Developed Gerbera Killer Drones For russia | Defense Express". en.defence-ua.com. Retrieved 2025-08-01.
- ^ a b Bajarūnas, Eitvydas (2025-07-31). "Flight Risk: Baltics Scramble to Counter Hybrid Drone Threat". CEPA. Retrieved 2025-08-01.
- ^ Hecimovic, Arnel (2025-07-28). "Drone warfare in the Ukraine war – in pictures". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-08-01.
- ^ a b c d e "Russian-made Gerbera drones utilize Chinese engines, Western parts – Defense Intelligence". New Voice. Retrieved 2025-08-01.
- ^ Struck, Julia. "Ukrainian Drone Tech Outsmarts Russia's Shahed UAV Decoys". Kyiv Post.
- ^ a b Anokhin, Igor; Faragasso, Spencer (18 December 2024). "Russian Decoy Drones that Depend on Western Parts Pose a Great Challenge to Ukrainian Defenses | ISIS Reports | Institute For Science And International Security". Institute for Science and International Security.
- ^ Syngaivska, Sofiia (20 April 2025). "russia Uses Modified Gerbera Decoy Drone to Target Ukrainian Buk-M1 System for the First Time (Video)". Defense Express (defence-ua.com). Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Drone from Belarus breaches Lithuanian airspace". lrt.lt. 28 July 2025.
- ^ "Unmanned Russian Aircraft Violated Lithuanian Airspace from Belarus and Crashed, Prime Minister Paluckas Was Taken to Shelter". The Baltic Sentinel. 10 July 2025.
- ^ Mykhailenko, Dariia (1 August 2025). "Russian "Gerbera" Drone Found at Lithuanian Military Site After Airspace Breach From Belarus". UNITED24 Media.
- ^ "A strong protest was expressed to Belarus over airspace violation". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Lithuania). 1 August 2025.
External links
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