The interceptor drone “General Chereshnya AIR” has already taken down 300 enemy reconnaissance drones

The “General Chereshnya AIR” aerial target interceptor drone has successfully passed all tests and codification procedures required by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. This was reported to Defender by Rudolf Akopyan, Director of Strategic Communications at the Center for Unmanned Systems Research, the company that produces drones under the “General Chereshnya” brand.

The developers expect the codification process to be finalized soon. “We’ve completed all procedures and tests, and we expect the official codification letter within two weeks,” Akopyan explained.

The Unmanned Systems Research Center developed the “General Chereshnya AIR” interceptor drone last year to target enemy fixed-wing reconnaissance UAVs such as the Zala, Orlan, and Supercam. According to Akopyan, the anti-aircraft interceptor has been actively used on the front lines for the past five months — and he claims that the “General Chereshnya AIR” has already shot down 300 enemy reconnaissance drones.

Akopyan adds that military units can conduct joint testing with the manufacturers of drones or other equipment — and based on the joint testing protocol, they can purchase the approved products. This is how the “General Chereshnya AIR” has been in service up to this point. Codification by the Ministry of Defence will allow the interceptor to be sold through the Defence Procurement Agency. Hakobyan notes that the AOZ has not yet signed contracts for such drones. “We hope that now they will,” he says.

The drone is capable of climbing to an altitude of up to 6,000 meters, enabling it to intercept enemy aircraft directly within their primary flight zones. Equipped with powerful 900KV motors and a 21,000 mAh battery, it offers up to 35 minutes of autonomous flight time to detect and eliminate targets.

The drone operates using the ELRS control system, which supports multiple frequencies and offers enhanced resistance to electronic warfare. Its digital video transmission system delivers a clear and stable image, allowing operators to accurately identify and engage enemy UAVs.

According to Akopyan, the “General Chereshnya AIR” costs around $1,000. In comparison, its “targets” — the Zala, Supercam, and Orlan drones — range from $20,000 to $150,000.

In the future, the drone may also be used to intercept «Shaheds», Akopyan says. At present, the «General Chereshnya AIR» can reach speeds of up to 160 km/h. «To shoot down the Shaheds, we need to accelerate the drone to 200 km/h — that’s what we’re currently working on,» the developers say.

The Unmanned Systems Research Center was established in 2023 by Zaporizhzhia-based activists who had previously contributed to the development of the Delta military situational awareness system. In just a year and a half, the company has become one of the largest suppliers of FPV drones to the Ukrainian military.

Next week, The Defender will publish a detailed article about the “General Chereshnya” drones and the team behind them.