Heavy-Lift FPV Bomber
Rotary-Wing UAVThreat: HighOpen-Source Verified
Large octocopter or hexacopter modified to carry multiple mortar rounds, anti-tank mines, or improvised bombs. Operates primarily at night for covert bombing runs on trenches, equipment, and supply areas. Increasingly used for **remote area-denial mining** — air-dropping TM-62 / PTM-class anti-tank mines onto roads, MSRs and CASEVAC routes deep in enemy rear, where the mine remains active long after the drone has left.
Technical Specifications
range
5–15 km
speed
30–60 km/h
payload
10–25 kg (multiple munitions)
endurance
15–30 min
frequency
2.4/5.8 GHz or military encrypted
cost Estimate
$2,000–$15,000
altitude
100–500 m
weight
15–35 kg
Tactical Roles
Strike
Advantages
- + Heavy payload — multiple bombs per sortie
- + Night operations with thermal camera
- + Terrorizing psychological effect
- + Can drop munitions accurately on trench lines
- + Relatively cheap for the damage inflicted
- + Remote mining: persistent area denial that survives long after the drone departs
- + Defeats convoy timing — no drone present at moment of detonation
- + Cheap denial of MSRs, CASEVAC routes and bridges with TM-62 / PTM-class mines
Disadvantages
- − Large and slow — easier to detect and engage
- − Loud rotors audible at significant distance
- − Vulnerable to small arms fire
- − Short endurance when fully loaded
- − Vulnerable to RF jamming on standard frequencies
Real-World Usage
- ▸ Ukrainian 'Baba Yaga' octocopters — night bombing raids
- ▸ Remote air-drop mining of Russian rear-area roads with TM-62 / PTM-3 mines (2024–2025)
- ▸ Heavy-lift hex/octo platforms adapted from agriculture drones
Counters This Drone
Countermeasures ranked by effectiveness — tap any system for details
RF Jamming SystemHighLaser Directed Energy WeaponHighAcoustic Detection SystemHighInterceptor Drone (Drone-on-Drone)HighCyber Takeover / Protocol ExploitationHighDirectional EW Rifle / Jammer GunHighC-UAS Autocannon / Dedicated AA GunHighHigh-Power Microwave (HPM)HighRF Detection / Spectrum AnalyzerHighAnti-Drone Laser DazzlerHighLocalized EMP DeviceHighPhysical Overhead ProtectionHighAI Vision Detection (EO/IR)HighMan-Portable EW BackpackHighNet-Carrying Interceptor DroneHighPassive RF GeolocationHighGPS Spoofing / Navigation WarfareMediumShotgun / Small Arms InterceptMediumCounter-UAS Radar SystemMediumNet Gun / Net LauncherMediumSmoke / Obscurant ScreenMediumDecoys / Signature ManagementLowHardened PNT / CRPA AntennaLowMANPADS (Stinger/Igla class)NoneFiber-Optic Specific CountermeasuresNoneMedium/Long-Range SAM SystemNone
⚠ How This Drone Evades Defenses
Active adversary tactics — not passive limitations
- ▸ Night operations with thermal cameras defeat visual engagement
- ▸ Low-altitude terrain-following flight under tree line evades radar
- ▸ Remote-mining sorties: once the mine is emplaced, no C-UAS system can defeat the threat — only EOD / route clearance