Ukrainian forces down advanced Russian drone, gain tech insights

Ukrainian armed forces have shot down a Russian Zala 421-16E unmanned aerial vehicle in the Sumy region. The downed drone fell on the defenders' territory in almost intact condition, allowing it to be used soon for research into Russian technology.

Recently, Ukrainians have been able to boast a series of successful shootdowns of enemy drones. According to regularly published reports from their armed forces, defenders usually hit all or almost all drones launched by the Russians in their direction.

Although sometimes Russian ammunition hits where it shouldn't – as evidenced by the crash of a Shahed-136 just across the border in Romania – most often, Ukrainian anti-aircraft defence is compelling enough to repel drone attacks. It also easily handles previously unidentified drones. Recall that not long ago, Ukrainians twice reported shooting down two different drones, never previously seen on the front.

Both "landed" in Ukraine in relatively good condition, allowing the Ukrainian armed forces to familiarise themselves with the new Russian technology. The Zala 421-16E unmanned aerial vehicle was also in similarly good condition, whose shootdown Ukrainians are now boasting about. This is a significant loss for the Russians because although the drone is small, it is used for aerial reconnaissance and is thus a tool used, among other things, to direct fire at key Ukrainian positions.

What exactly did the defenders' army manage to shoot down? The Zala 421-16E is a drone produced by the Russian company Zala Aero Group and is used for surveillance, observation, and target identification missions. This unmanned aerial vehicle model was created in response to the needs of the Russian Federation for equipment in the army that is less detectable and capable of conducting effective reconnaissance.

As a result, the 421-16E was created, an unmanned aerial vehicle made from composites in a flying wing configuration. Its wingspan reaches over 2.8 metres, while its length slightly exceeds 1 metre. This reconnaissance drone's maximum takeoff weight is approximately 10 kilograms.

Thanks to an efficient electric motor, this small construction can reach a maximum speed of 112 kilometres per hour. The Zala 421-16E can operate at an altitude of 3,500 metres, and its range exceeds 200 kilometres. Its operational radius is 45 kilometres, and its flight duration is up to 4 hours.

The standard version of the 421-16E's fuselage houses a digital SLR camera with at least 18 megapixels resolution, allowing for terrain observation with 20x magnification. There is also a gyroscope for image stabilisation and a thermal imaging camera, which further increases the usability of the unmanned aerial vehicle. This construction uses the GPS/GLONASS navigation system and a three-axis magnetometer for navigation.