Gerbera (drone)

Lore & Background

The Gerbera was first seen on the battlefield in late July 2024, initially used as a decoy to distract Ukrainian air defenses due to its visual similarity to the Shahed-136. By mid-2025, it was also employed for reconnaissance and strikes. Ukrainian intelligence reported that roughly half of the drones launched by Russia by November 2024 were Shahed-mimicking decoys such as the Gerbera, with about 75% of new drones produced at the Alabuga factory being unarmed decoys—a tactic Russia dubbed Operation False Target.

The drone is constructed from inexpensive materials: an internal plywood frame covered with polystyrene foam, with a cropped delta-wing shape similar to but smaller than the Shahed-136. It uses a pusher propeller driven by a Chinese-made internal combustion engine. Some Gerberas carry an explosive charge of up to 5 kg, significantly less than the Shahed's standard 50 kg warhead. The drone incorporates chips from Analog Devices, Texas Instruments, NXP Semiconductors, STMicroelectronics, U-Blox, and XLSEMI.

Development of the Gerbera is disputed: initial reporting from a Russian social media account claimed it was developed by the Russian company Gastello Design Bureau, while the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine asserts that the Chinese company Skywalker Technology is the real developer. According to Ukrainian intelligence, Skywalker Technology assembles drone kits and ships them to the Alabuga drone factory in Yelabuga, Russia, for final assembly. The Gerbera is not listed in Skywalker Technology's product catalog, suggesting a contract with the Russian Federation.

Reader's Guide

The Gerbera represents a significant evolution in Russian drone warfare, emphasizing cost-effective mass production and deception. Priced at around $10,000—a fraction of the Shahed-136—it allows Russia to saturate Ukrainian air defenses with cheap decoys, forcing expensive interceptor missiles to be expended on targets that may carry no warhead. The drone's mesh network capability, enabled by a modem from Xingkay Tech, allows it to relay signals and share data with other drones, increasing resilience against electronic warfare. Its incursions into Lithuanian and Polish airspace in July and September 2025 marked the first time NATO aircraft engaged enemy targets over NATO airspace, with analysts describing the scale of the Polish incursion as a deliberate act. The Gerbera's use as both a decoy and a strike platform, combined with its foreign-made components and disputed development, highlights the complex supply chains and hybrid tactics shaping modern conflict.

Did You Know?

• The Gerbera is made of polystyrene foam over a plywood frame, making it cheap and lightweight.
• Its mesh network modem allows drones to relay signals and share data, improving resistance to electronic warfare.
• Ukrainian interceptor drones costing around $5,000 have been used to shoot down Gerberas, a fraction of the cost of air defense missiles.
• The Gerbera's range is estimated at 300 km without a combat payload, but Ukrainian intelligence lists a range of 600 km.