Ukraine Has Turned Drones Into Armed Soldiers to Fight Russia. They Now Carry Grenade Launchers, So There’s No Longer a Need to ‘Sacrifice’ Them

Undoubtedly, the war in Ukraine has become the most significant testing ground for military technology and artillery. However, if we had to name a single protagonist, it would be drones—used as combat “animals” for nearly everything. Ukraine has become one of the world’s leading players in this sector, developing many of the most advanced—and importantly, cheap—prototypes to date. The latest development involves turning drones into real soldiers of the future, now capable of carrying grenade launchers while in flight.

Airborne grenade launchers. Ukraine reached a new milestone in the evolution of unmanned weaponry when it deployed a drone equipped with a grenade launcher in combat for the first time. Wild Hornets, a Ukrainian company specializing in military technology, revealed this achievement. Images shared on the company’s Telegram channel show the “exclusive death” of a Russian soldier hit by one of these drones on the Novopavlivka front.

The BULAVA unit of the Separate Presidential Brigade carried out the attack. They adapted their Queen of Hornets drone—a heavy model typically used for bombing—to carry and fire a grenade launcher with precision from the air. Beyond being a tactical success, the operation validated the modified design. The drone's stability when firing solved one of the main technical obstacles: recoil.

Deadly accuracy. After reviewing the videos and report, Diego Rodríguez, a reconnaissance drone operator with the Unmanned Systems Corps, said he was amazed this technology hadn’t been implemented on a large scale. He emphasized its technical superiority over kamikaze drones. According to Rodríguez, drone-launched grenades enable faster, more precise, and quieter attacks. The rounds fly faster and farther, reducing the enemy’s reaction time and exposure to electronic countermeasures.

Why? The drone can fire, retreat, and reload, multiplying its usefulness without disrupting the unity of the attack. Unlike traditional explosive drones, which emit noise and give the enemy time to react, grenades launched mid-flight arrive almost instantly and are impossible to dodge.

Without warning. Vadym Feshchenko, a former grenadier turned drone operator, said this innovation completely changes the enemy’s defensive habits. Russian troops have learned to watch drone movement to anticipate payload drops. But a drone that fires in mid-flight eliminates that reaction window.

Feshchenko also pointed to the weaponry’s versatility, noting that some modern grenade launcher projectiles can pierce up to 2.75 inches of armor. This broadens their use against vehicles and fortified positions. As these systems become more widespread, the mere sound of a drone may cause enemy soldiers to retreat or hide. This increases the device’s psychological and tactical impact and boosts its potential as a deterrent in the heat of battle.

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From prototype to standard. In September 2024, videos surfaced of tests in which Ukrainian FPV drones carried RPG-18 grenade launchers. These early versions were considered rudimentary prototypes, but their potential was clear. According to Ukrainian media outlets, another benefit of the new system is reducing the risk to technicians and engineers. Those working with kamikaze drones must arm them manually, exposing themselves to injury—often unreported.

In this regard, partial automation through armed, reusable drones marks a step forward in operational safety.

Adaptive engineering. According to Business Insider, Ukraine carried out the first combat use of this technology. Still, the Belarusian design firm Display proposed mounting grenade launchers on drones during a Russian military exhibition in 2021. The biggest technical challenge involved achieving drone stability during firing—most quadcopters are too light to handle the recoil.

However, the Queen of Hornets overcame that obstacle thanks to its size and reinforced design. The released video shows no instability after firing. Ukrainian engineers have also converted agricultural drones, such as the DJI Agras T30 (originally designed for fumigation), into attack platforms equipped with PKM machine guns and Bullspike-AT grenade launchers. These can strike tanks, self-propelled artillery, and fortified positions.

A radical transformation. The war in Ukraine is reshaping many concepts of modern warfare. Above all, the successful deployment of drones that fire grenades from the air marks a turning point in technological combat.

Although traditional artillery and heavy weapons remain essential, the miniaturization of firepower and its integration into precise, reusable drones represents a strategic leap—combining efficiency, lethality, and operational economy. The question is no longer whether this technology will spread, but how quickly Ukraine can mass-produce it—and how Russia will respond to an increasingly silent, unpredictable, and difficult-to-stop threat.

Image | Toby Royal (Unsplash)

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