Lava regiment developed a net-ejection system for UGVs to counter approaching FPV drones

The R&D centre of Lava regiment, part of the National Guard of Ukraine Khartiia corps, has developed its own net-ejection system for unmanned ground vehicles. Lava’s commander Volodymyr Mirchuk disclosed this in an interview with Defender Media.

The system detects an approaching FPV drone via camera and ejects a net as it closes in. According to the commander, the system currently activates successfully in 66% of cases. Mirchuk also said the regiment is developing its own kamikaze UGVs, as well as a unified control unit for all platforms, as they “often arrive without proper controls.”

In addition, the unit is building its own logistics platform and is fitting existing UGVs with flamethrowers and grenade launchers. During a robotics operation in Kupiansk, the improvised combat systems provided cover for kamikaze drones.

According to Volodymyr Mirchuk, Lava’s R&D centre is also experimenting with UAVs. “With FPV, we wind our own coils, experiment with media converters, waiting drones,” he says. “With Mavics there’s less work: essentially firmware, repairs, manufacturing our own antennas, batteries, and so on. On fixed-wing platforms, install Starlink.”

Which drones the regiment uses in combat, how its mid-strike operations work, and what modern UGVs are still lacking – read the full interview with Lava’s commander: