Another Ukrainian manufacturer has unveiled a prototype interceptor drone equipped with onboard shotguns to shoot down Russian UAVs.

Besomar, the drone maker, had previously developed a fixed-wing interceptor in late 2024 to down Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as per military outlet Militarnyi.

At Iron Demo 2025, an arms exhibition in Lviv, Besomar unveiled its latest variant, based largely on its 2024 fixed-wing model but fitted with single-shot 12-gauge shotgun barrels mounted beneath the wings.

The company’s representative told Militarnyi that the prototype currently carries two shotguns but can be fitted with up to four if needed, with the design centering on reusability.

“Two shots can be fired from an airplane, and we can increase the number of shots to four on board. We generally develop airplanes and produce mass-produced aircraft. But there was a request to develop something new that could shoot in the air and still return,” the person said.

Ukrainian drone makers have been testing interceptor drones in recent months as Russian drone launches during air strikes hit record levels – exceeding 700 in a single night at times.

While some interceptor drones are designed to disable Russian drones by physically ramming them, others are experimenting with onboard shotguns as a more cost-effective alternative.

Kyiv Post recently reported on the development of a quadcopter interceptor drone armed with a six-barrel shotgun, as well as a fixed-wing, jet-powered drone also equipped with a shotgun.

While Besomar’s latest innovation features fewer shotguns and a slower speed – up to 200 km/h (125 mph) as a fixed-wing aircraft powered by a rear propeller – its key advantage lies in onboard computing power that reduces reaction time.

Namely, it is equipped with a nose sensor designed to trigger the shotgun once the target is lined up in sight, thereby reducing the reaction time required from the operator.

The Besomar representative also highlighted the drone’s frequency-hopping capability, which should make it harder to jam with electronic warfare (EW) and enable it to approach Russian drones – even those capable of evasive maneuvers when detecting incoming interceptors, as seen recently on the battlefield.

російський дрон Zala намагався тікати від нашого FPV, але марно🔪

Днями зʼявилась інформація, що росіяни навчили свої розвідБПЛА ухилятися від українських зенітних дронів. На цьому відео саме така ситуація.

Проте майстерність воїнів екіпажу Самосуд підрозділу Ластівка 11… pic.twitter.com/yr1vblkEdj

— Serhii Sternenko ✙ (@sternenko) October 29, 2024

The cost of each interceptor drone has not been disclosed.

As Moscow uses low-cost drones to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses and target critical infrastructure, deploying affordable interceptor drones is a logical response to counter these threats.

Each Russian or Iranian Shahed drone is estimated to cost under $50,000 and has a reported range of up to 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles). To effectively counter these threats, solutions must be significantly cheaper. Interceptor drones fit this need, especially compared to missiles like the Stinger, which cost approximately $120,000–$150,000 each.

Reuters.