A Russian Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter was shot down by a fiber-optic FPV drone operated by soldiers from the 1st Unmanned Systems Battalion “Predators of the Heights” of the 59th Ukrainian Brigade.
This information is based on the FPV drone believed to have been used in the attack.General Cherry OPTIXis the manufacturer ofGeneral CherryPublished by.
According to the company, one of the biggest advantages of using fiber optic FPV drones is their resistance to electronic warfare. Still, he emphasized that shooting down a helicopter in flight requires a combination of factors: speed, accuracy, and battlefield operational tactics.
“Multiple judgments play an important role here: speed and operational tactics. Shooting down a flying helicopter or other air target is a very difficult mission. Therefore, such a shootdown by an FPV drone is truly rare,” said a company representative.
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According to Unmanned Systems Force Commander Roberto “Magyar” Brody:Ka-52 was intercepted near the village of Nadyivka, Donetsk region.
According to publicly available information, the drone hit an S-8 unguided air-to-ground rocket pod mounted on the helicopter. The impact caused a fire and the aircraft was eventually lost.
The crew made an emergency landing and were able to escape from the burning helicopter. However, the Russian pilots were later spotted by a reconnaissance drone and allegedly attacked by an attack drone.
According to General Cherry, OPTIX is offered in three basic platforms: 10-inch, 13-inch, and 15-inch. These drones can be equipped with 15km, 20km, 25km, 30km and even 35km fiber optic reels, allowing for a variety of configurations depending on the mission.
This case once again demonstrates the expanding role of FPV drones in conflicts, and also draws attention to the activities of the Predators of the Heights unit. The battalion has previously carried out similar incidents, including shooting down a Russian Mi-8 helicopter on September 29, 2025, using a Shrike-10 10-inch FPV drone equipped with a PG-7M warhead.
Ka-52The shootdown has attracted significant attention not only for the strategic value of the target, but also for the advanced technological adaptability that fiber-optic drones are bringing to the battlefield of modern warfare.
❗️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/Image: MilitaryNewsUA X @front_ukrainian | General Cherry | Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
