Technical Specifications:
- Length: Approximately 2 meters
- Wingspan: Approximately 2 meters
- Maximum Speed: Estimated over 100 km/h
- Range: Up to 300 km
- Payload Capacity: Exact figures are unavailable, but it is estimated to carry several kilograms
- Engine Type: Two-stroke piston engine with a pusher propeller
Usage:
The Gerbera drone is designed for several purposes:
- Kamikaze Missions: Carrying an explosive warhead to crash into a target.
- Electronic Reconnaissance: Detecting air defense positions and recording the impact of other attacking drones.
- Decoy Target: Acting as bait for air defense systems to exhaust their resources.
Manufacturer:
The Gerbera drone is manufactured in Russia, with some components sourced from China. The fuselage is supplied by the Chinese company Skywalker Technology Co., Ltd., which organizes the delivery of assembly kits to Russia. These kits are then assembled in Russian production facilities, such as in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone. (en.defence-ua.com)
Price:
The exact price of the Gerbera drone is not publicly available. However, due to the use of inexpensive materials like foam plastic and plywood and widely available electronic components, it is believed to be relatively low-cost. For example, the DLE60 engine from the Chinese company Mile Hao Xiang Technology Co., Ltd., is priced between $430 and $550 on Chinese markets. (en.defence-ua.com)
Design:
The Gerbera features a delta-wing design with stabilizing rudders at the wingtips. The body is constructed from foam plastic and plywood, reducing its radar signature and simplifying production. Its electronics include basic navigation modules and gyroscopes, with some components supplied by foreign manufacturers such as the Swiss company U-Blox and American firms Analog Devices and Texas Instruments. (en.defence-ua.com)
Predecessors and Successors:
The Gerbera drone’s predecessor is the Russian E95M drone, powered by a pulsejet engine and with a range of only 50 km. Due to its limited range and other shortcomings, the E95M was replaced by the Gerbera, which offers longer range and greater flexibility in use. (tvujvesmir.cz)
Currently, there is no publicly available information on a direct successor to the Gerbera drone. However, Russian armed forces are continuously developing new unmanned systems to enhance their capabilities in electronic warfare and reconnaissance.
Additional Information:
The Gerbera drone was first observed in Ukraine in 2024, where it was used as a decoy to trick Ukrainian air defense systems. Its foam plastic construction and the use of low-cost electronic components indicate that it is designed for mass production and large-scale deployment to saturate and deplete enemy air defense resources. (armadnizpravodaj.cz)
