Gerbera (drone)
| Gerbera | |
|---|---|
Gerbera drone, downed in Ukraine (January 2025) | |
| Type | Loitering munition |
| Place of origin | Russia |
| Service history | |
| In service | July 2024–present |
| Used by | Russia |
| Wars | Russian invasion of Ukraine |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | JSC Alabuga Skywalker Technology Co. (alleged by Defense Intelligence of Ukraine) |
| Unit cost | US$10,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 2 m (6.6 ft) |
| Wingspan | 2.5 m (8.2 ft) |
Operational range | estimates 300 to 600 km (190 to 370 mi) (decoy version) |
| Flight altitude | up to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) |
| Maximum speed | up to 160 km/h (99 mph) |
The Gerbera (Russian: Гербера) is a Russian multi-purpose drone, described as a cheaper and simplified version of the Iranian Shahed-136 (also known as the Geran-2 in Russia). It is designed for kamikaze missions, reconnaissance, and signal relaying to extend the operational range of other drones or enhance their resilience against electronic warfare.
The Gerbera was first deployed by Russian forces in July 2024 during the Russo-Ukrainian war. It was originally used as a decoy to distract and overwhelm Ukrainian air defense due to its visual similarity to the deadlier Shahed-136. By mid-2025, it was also being used for reconnaissance and strikes.
During two separate incidents in July 2025, one confirmed and one suspected Gerbera drone entered Lithuanian NATO airspace, in what some analysts described as hybrid warfare provocations. In September 2025, drones of this type entered Polish airspace.