Sting interceptor sets new altitude record for downing a Russian UAV

The crew of the “Klever” unit of Ukraine’s 27th Separate National Guard Regiment downed a Russian UAV using the high-speed Sting interceptor drone at an altitude of 7,472 metres. This is a new record for intercepting an enemy UAV with an interceptor developed by Wild Hornets.

This is a new altitude record for a Russian UAV downed by a Sting interceptor. The previous record was set by a pilot from the “Alpha” Special Operations Centre of the Security Service of Ukraine, who struck a Russian target at an altitude of 6,955 metres in early August. Before that, servicemen of the Prince Volodymyr the Great Unmanned Systems Unit of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine destroyed a Russian UAV at an altitude of 6,858 metres.

Both records set in early August involved the interception of Russian ZALA Z-20 reconnaissance UAVs. In recent months, Ukrainian pilots have regularly struck such drones at altitudes of 6–7 km.

According to “Wild Hornets”, the effectiveness of interceptions is also affected by the use of the Hornet Vision Ctrl remote-control system. Units that were among the first to start using the system have demonstrated the greatest growth in the number of targets hit.

According to confirmed data, since the beginning of 2026, combat units of the Defence Forces of Ukraine have destroyed more than 11,000 Russian UAVs of the “Shahed”, “Geran” and “Gerbera” types using these interceptors. In July, Sting accounted for more than 41% of “Shahed”/“Geran” and 38% of “Gerbera” drones destroyed by interceptor drones.