[Goose]

This is pretty cool, not sure I have seen video of this before.

A Ukrainian interceptor drone takes out a Russian Shahed style attack drone. An idea that could scale very well if they are effective, as the Shaheds are likely a fair bit more expensive than the interceptors.

https://x.com/prestonstew_/status/1943387643821039883

The problem with using low-cost small drones to intercept Shahed style drones is range. The Shahed has to fly within 5-10 km of where the drone is launched. Guns have the same problem, only a bit worse. Battery-powered interceptor drones are also generally quite a bit slower than a Shahed, so the geometry of such intercepts are even further limited. That can be addressed by using a drone with an internal combustion engine, but then the size and cost goes up. There is no free lunch.

Currently the "best" way to combat the Shahed type drones is with fighter aircraft firing very low-cost short range interceptor rockets. The expensive aircraft is much faster than the Shahed and can carry sensors with much longer range than interceptor drones can. The aircraft locates the target (ideally with help from AWACS) and transports the "cheap"  rockets relatively quickly to close range. The rocket is then the "drone", but it doesn't need to go very far or have any target acquisition capability. It can be a simple laser-designated munition or even a SARH munition, since Shahed drones can't shoot back.

Would that Ukrainian drone be piloted manually or is it automated?

Ideally, yes. Ideally the drones could be put along the border every 2 km or so, with an equal number of drones echeloned  in depth in case the initial drone misses. They would be launched by a networked computer system and would engage their targets autonomously, perhaps with some guidance from the IADS. It is going to require a whole lot of drones to make it work though. Its practicality is IMO dubious, given there are alternatives that work well.

[Goose]

This is pretty cool, not sure I have seen video of this before.

A Ukrainian interceptor drone takes out a Russian Shahed style attack drone. An idea that could scale very well if they are effective, as the Shaheds are likely a fair bit more expensive than the interceptors.

https://x.com/prestonstew_/status/1943387643821039883

The problem with using low-cost small drones to intercept Shahed style drones is range. The Shahed has to fly within 5-10 km of where the drone is launched. Guns have the same problem, only a bit worse. Battery-powered interceptor drones are also generally quite a bit slower than a Shahed, so the geometry of such intercepts are even further limited. That can be addressed by using a drone with an internal combustion engine, but then the size and cost goes up. There is no free lunch.

Currently the "best" way to combat the Shahed type drones is with fighter aircraft firing very low-cost short range interceptor rockets. The expensive aircraft is much faster than the Shahed and can carry sensors with much longer range than interceptor drones can. The aircraft locates the target (ideally with help from AWACS) and transports the "cheap"  rockets relatively quickly to close range. The rocket is then the "drone", but it doesn't need to go very far or have any target acquisition capability. It can be a simple laser-designated munition or even a SARH munition, since Shahed drones can't shoot back.

Would that Ukrainian drone be piloted manually or is it automated?

Ideally, yes. Ideally the drones could be put along the border every 2 km or so, with an equal number of drones echeloned  in depth in case the initial drone misses. They would be launched by a networked computer system and would engage their targets autonomously, perhaps with some guidance from the IADS. It is going to require a whole lot of drones to make it work though. Its practicality is IMO dubious, given there are alternatives that work well.