Ukrainians have developed a drone that hunts down Shaheds on its own
The Ukrainian company F-Drones has unveiled its new LITAVR interceptor drone, designed to counter attack drones, particularly Russian "Shaheds." The drone is capable of independently detecting, pursuing, and engaging aerial targets without constant operator intervention.
According to the developers, the drone can reach speeds of up to 350 km/h, allowing it to effectively catch up with enemy drones. Targets are engaged in automatic mode, which increases the speed of response to aerial threats.
What is LITAVR
"LITAVR" is an interceptor drone designed to destroy aerial targets and engage ground targets.
F-Drones develops its own software, electronics, motors, regulators, and flight controllers for it—and is steadily reducing its dependence on Chinese components.
The company began drone production in 2023. Development of the LITAVR began in the fall of 2024; in the summer of 2025, the aircraft was successfully tested and certified. Starting in the fall of 2025, mass production and delivery to the military began.
Specifications: speed, range, altitude
The stated maximum speed is 350 km/h. The operational range is 40 km. The Unmanned Systems Forces recorded a record flight of over 80 km from the takeoff point. The maximum altitude is 9 km.
The drone is equipped with day and thermal imaging cameras—the operator switches between them in flight depending on conditions and time of day.
Navigation is handled by its own "non-GPS" system. Integration with various radar systems and pilot support are provided through the LARAG software suite.
A key feature of the "Lytavra" is its automatic target-tracking system (Last Mile, or Pixel Lock). It independently identifies the target and guides the drone into the attack: during the final approach, the pilot controls only the speed, while the rest is handled automatically.
The warhead is located in the nose of the drone and comes in two versions:
an empty container, which the unit loads with explosives on-site;
a ready-to-use warhead with a NATO code included in the product.
The "Lytavr" features a remote control system. The operator can control the drone from hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away from the interception point. If no target is detected, the pilot switches the initiation circuit to safe mode and returns the drone to base.
This was reported with reference to the website of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The Ministry of Defense will seek 617 million hryvnias in court for breached contracts.
Recently, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine certified and approved for use in the Armed Forces of Ukraine three fiber-optic FPV systems manufactured by enterprises of JSC “Ukrainian Defense Industry.”
Prior to this, the Ministry of Defense had certified and approved the domestic unmanned aerial system “Volynyaka” for use in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine approved the Shablya MK19(M) remotely controlled combat module for use by the troops. It is equipped with an MK19 40mm automatic grenade launcher.
