A Russian Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter was shot down by a fiber optic FPV drone used by soldiers of the 1st Unmanned Systems Battalion “Predators of the Heights”, a unit integrated into the Ukrainian 59th Brigade.
The information was released by the company General CherryFPV drone manufacturer General Cherry OPTIXidentified as the vector responsible for the attack.
According to the company, the use of fiber optic FPV drones offers a decisive advantage in missions of this type: resistance to electronic warfare. Still, the manufacturer stressed that the ability to hit a helicopter in flight depends on a broader combination of factors, such as speed, precision and tactics of use on the battlefield.
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“A set of decisions plays a role here: speed and application tactics. Shooting down helicopters or other aerial targets in flight is a rather difficult task. Therefore, these cases of shooting down by FPV drones are really unique,” said a representative of the company.
According to the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert “Magyar” Brovdi, the Ka-52 was intercepted near the village of Nadiivka, Donetsk region.
According to the information released, the drone hit a suspended block of S-8 unguided aerial rockets installed on the helicopter. The impact caused a fire that ended up destroying the aircraft.
The crew managed to make an emergency landing and abandon the burning helicopter. However, the Russian pilots were reportedly located by a reconnaissance drone and subsequently hit by attack drones.
General Cherry reported that the OPTIX model is available in three basic platforms, with 10, 13 and 15-inch chassis. Drones can receive fiber optic coils with ranges of 15, 20, 25, 30 and even 35 kilometers, allowing different configurations depending on the mission.
The case reinforces the growing role of FPV drones in the conflict and highlights the performance of the “Predators of the Heights” unit, which had already starred in another similar episode. On September 29, 2025, the same battalion managed to shoot down a Russian Mi-8 helicopter with a Shrike-10 10-inch FPV drone, equipped with a PG-7M warhead.
The demolition of Ka-52 It draws attention not only for the strategic value of the objective, but also for the level of sophistication and adaptation that fiber optic drones have been bringing to the modern combat scenario.
❗️Full video: 🇺🇦Ukrainian FPV drone operator from the 59th brigade destroys a 🇷🇺Russian Ka-52 on the Pokrovsk direction. After ejection, the crew was eliminated. pic.twitter.com/GUBkf5kifT
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) March 20, 2026
Source and images: MilitaryNewsUA X @front_ukrainian | General Cherry | Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
