Ukrainian volunteers launched a project to restore Russian drone engines Shahed shot down, thus transforming enemy equipment into useful components for the defense of the country.
The initiative is led by the charitable foundation ZAMPOTECHwhich states that each engine requires approximately two weeks of work before it is ready for reuse.
According to the foundation, “we are restoring the engines of enemy drones so that they serve Ukraine. Every detail counts,” said a spokesperson for the organization. For this work, the fund receives dozens of units of motors from drones Shahed shot down by Ukrainian forces.
After restoration, these engines are installed on Ukrainian drones, thereby strengthening the capacity for production and operation of unmanned aerial vehicles on the defending side.
What is the Shahed drone used by Russia
The drones used by Russia in its attacks on Ukraine, often called Shahed-136 or designated by Russian forces as Grant-2are unmanned attack aircraft known as “kamikaze” munitions or lurking munitions.
Originally designed in Iran and widely employed by Moscow since 2022, these drones are launched in large numbers to strike deep targets, including energy infrastructure and strategic positions on Ukrainian territory.
The Shahed-136 features a delta wing configuration with wingtip stabilizers and is powered by a piston engine MD550 air cooled, similar to that used in ZAMPOTECH restored projects. Traditionally, this motor is an integral part of the drone design and its cost is estimated between $12,000 and $17,000, according to technical analyses.
This type of drone works like a guided munition: once launched, it heads towards a predetermined target with its explosive charge, without the possibility of return. The estimated range can vary from 1,000 to more than 2,000 kilometers, and the Shahed can fly at speeds up to approximately 185 km/h, making it a relatively low-cost, long-range attack tool compared to traditional missiles.
Since the start of the invasion in 2022, Russia has relied heavily on these drones in nighttime and saturation attacks, seeking to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses with large volumes of aircraft during its operations.
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Source and images: Зампотех Омелянович – Facebook @zampotech.org | Military. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
