AI, automatic guidance and 416 km/h: Ukraine has created a new drone interceptor "Zorelit v5"

Ukrainian company “Vluchnyk” completed internal trials of the new interceptor drone “Zorelit v5”, developed to counter high-speed aerial targets, including Russian jet-powered attack drones. The company reported this development to the publication “Militarnyi” on 21 September 2026.

The director of Vluchnyk LLC, Stepan Radiboh, speaking about the completion of tests and the subsequent supply of the new interceptor, noted:

“Zorelit v5″ has completed a full cycle of tests and is ready for delivery to the forces. We are open to direct contracts with military units today, and after codification we will also make the product available through yeBaly”? – Stepan Radiboh.

One of the main features of the new interceptor is its speed. The maximum claimed figure is 416 km/h, and the range on a single charge is up to 47 km. At a cruise speed of about 200 km/h the vehicle can stay airborne for approximately 17 minutes. According to the manufacturer, the drone is designed to carry a warhead weighing from 300 to 600 grams.

“Zorelit v5” was primarily developed to intercept aerial targets directly along their flight routes. According to the company, the vehicle can be used against reconnaissance UAVs, Russian Gerbera and Geran-2 drones, as well as the fast jet UAVs Geran-3 and Geran-4.

The maximum speed of 416 km/h, developers calculate, should enable the interceptor to engage aerial targets whose cruise speeds reach approximately 300–350 km/h.

The appearance of such interceptors becomes especially relevant due to the continuing acceleration of Russian air-attack means. In particular, on 17 September 2026 it was reported that Russia may move to mass use of new cheap cruise missiles and jet drones with speeds of approximately 500–750 km/h.

For “Zorelit v5” additional equipment is planned: an automatic detection and target-illumination system using artificial intelligence algorithms. The developers also implemented the ability for the drone to autonomously guide itself to the target during the final interception phase—the so-called last mile. A separate option is integration with the SkyMap system. It is intended to provide automatic routing of the interceptor to the area of the enemy target and calculate the optimal trajectory taking into account remaining battery charge. The manufacturer also states the possibility of remote control of the drone and transmission of video signal over the internet.

In the basic configuration “Zorelit v5” includes a pan mechanism for the camera, an ELRS control system with selectable operating band, a video transmitter with 2.5 W power, as well as a warhead initiation/arming board with remote detonation and a physical safety pin.

The new drone was created based on the previous model “Zorelit v4”. According to Vluchnyk, the previous interceptor already has experience of successful combat use, has been adopted into service and received a NATO stock number (NSN). Some technical solutions that were tested during combat use of the previous version were transferred to v5. For comparison, the maximum speed of “Zorelit v4” is about 348 km/h. Depending on the modification, its range can be roughly 46 km or 65–70 km.

Before delivery to the customer, each newly manufactured interceptor undergoes a control flight. The company says it keeps a video record of such a test, and each unit is individually marked. This allows tracking of the specific product and the components used in its assembly.

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