Gerbera drones pose little threat to Kyiv unless used in large numbers — aviation expert Valeriy Romanenko

In an interview with Radio NV, Romanenko explained that Gerbera drones are significantly slower than Shahed drones and come in three variants: reconnaissance UAVs, decoy drones without warheads, and drones equipped with a 5-kilogram explosive payload.

The latter, he said, are more dangerous for frontline areas but rarely reach the Kyiv region.

“Five kilograms of explosives is roughly equivalent to a light artillery shell,” Romanenko said, noting that a standard 155-millimeter artillery shell contains about 12 kilograms of explosives. “Yes, it can do harm. Whether it’s a reconnaissance Gerbera or a false target — whatever it is, wherever it falls — you don’t touch it. That’s the general rule. Don’t approach, call the specialists.”

A Gerbera drone can destroy a room or apartment and may cause fires, he added. However, even the "combat" variants are far less destructive than Shaheds, which typically carry 50 kilograms of explosives, with newer versions carrying warheads up to 90 kilograms.

“The Shahed is a volumetric explosive. You have to multiply its impact by at least one and a half, maybe two,” Romanenko said. “So I wouldn’t even compare Gerberas to the threat of Shaheds.”

He noted that the percentage of Gerbera drones equipped with explosives has not yet been calculated. “Maybe they’re flying somewhere over frontline cities. But in the Kyiv region, Gerberas with warheads have not yet been reported,” he said. “Near the front, yes, use is possible, because there they can be guided more or less. Beyond that — they’re not used.”

Due to their slower speed, Ukrainian air defense crews can distinguish Gerberas from more dangerous targets and typically avoid wasting missiles on them.

“If we start shooting down Gerberas, we’ll exhaust our air defenses. Then the system could miss real Shaheds or cruise missiles,” Romanenko said. “There has to be a threshold of response.”

He believes that if the use of Gerberas with explosives increases significantly, Ukraine’s air defenses may start engaging them — but only as a lower priority.

“They don’t always fall due to electronic warfare. They often crash simply because they run out of fuel. No one is hunting them. There’s no need. They’re fake targets. They pose practically no threat,” Romanenko said.

In fall 2024, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR) reported that Russia was mass-producing Gerbera drones, capable of carrying explosives or conducting electronic reconnaissance. The drones are assembled at a facility in Yelabuga, in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan.

According to the HUR, Gerberas imitate Shahed-136 (also known as Geran-2) drones and are widely used to overload Ukrainian air defense. They are constructed from foam and plywood, making them dozens of times cheaper than Shaheds.

The drones use Chinese engines and other foreign-made parts, imported via third-party companies. HUR experts said the design is based on a prototype manufactured by China’s Skywalker Technology Co., Ltd.