The Piranya (Piranha) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was recently used by Russian forces to destroy Ukraine’s first US-made M1 Abrams tank.
Simbirsk Design Bureau developed the drone in the Russian city of Ulyanovsk.
What else is known about this drone and why it is referred to as unique? Sputnik explores.
FPV Mode
Piranya is an FPV (first-person view) kamikaze drone, which means that it is equipped with a camera that wirelessly transmits video feed to goggles, a headset, a mobile device or another device.
As a result, an operator has a first-person view of the environment where the drone flies and may capture video or still images.
Piranya's Uniqueness
According to a spokesperson for the Simbirsk Design Bureau, Piranya proved to be the only UAV that could not be suppressed during electronic warfare tests.
"We have an official conclusion from the Russian Ministry of Defense based on the results of a business trip to Lugansk and testing of our equipment in the special military operation zone that we have unique video transmitters capable of withstanding the effects of electronic warfare,” the spokesperson pointed out.
Range and Load Capacity
The drone, which is made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers, has a range of up to 15 km ( 9 miles) and a carrying capacity of up to 4.5 kg. The UAV is designed to destroy both light and armored vehicles, as well as dugouts, shelters, and fortifications.
Piranya is one of the newest Russian drones, which are successfully used in the special operation zone, among them the Lancet, Inokhodets and Orlan.