Ministry of Defense codifies Queen Hornet, Ukraine’s first large multipurpose FPV drone
Drone Industry
The Ministry of Defense has codified the 17-inch Queen Hornet multipurpose FPV drone, developed by the Ukrainian MilTech company Wild Hornets, which effectively launched this class of drones in Ukraine.
The company told Censor.NET’s Drone Industry project about this.
The drone was codified under NATO standards both as part of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and as a separate product.
The drone can be supplied with a DJI digital video communication system or with the innovative Hornet Vision system, which provides a high-quality video signal resistant to electronic warfare. Read more about Hornet Vision at the link.
About Queen Hornet
Queen Hornet is a 17-inch multipurpose FPV drone that can function as a bomber drone, kamikaze drone, transport drone, carrier for standard kamikaze drones and relay stations, and is also successfully used for remote minelaying.
Thanks to its unique battery system, Queen Hornet can carry cargo and munitions weighing up to 9 kg over a distance of up to 20 km.
The drone’s maximum flight speed is up to 160 km/h (with a cruising speed of 70-80 km/h); its maximum flight altitude is up to 3,500 m (with an operating altitude of 0-2,500 m); the time required to prepare it for flight is 5 minutes.
Queen Hornet will soon appear on the Brave1 Market platform, and combat units will be able to order this drone in exchange for e-points.
History of Queen Hornet
Wild Hornets officially presented Queen Hornet in July 2024. At the time, it became the largest FPV drone used by Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
The new drone was developed at the request of the military. Queen Hornet was intended to fill the niche between standard FPV drones and heavy multirotor drones, which can carry heavier payloads but are much more expensive and are an easier target for the enemy due to their tactical and technical characteristics.
By contrast, Queen Hornet is several times cheaper, significantly faster, and more maneuverable. In addition, operating it does not require substantial additional training for a pilot who already has experience working with FPV drones.
Over the past two years, combat units have received about 10,000 Queen Hornet drones. Production of most of them was funded by donors and major foundations that support Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
Thanks to its versatility, Queen Hornet has received a number of modifications from the military themselves: assault rifles and grenade launchers have been mounted on it, and it has also been used as a "dragon drone" to burn out enemy positions.
It is a reliable and combat-tested platform. Queen Hornets were actively used during the Kursk offensive operation, for mining routes while repelling the Russian offensive in the Sumy region in 2025, and to deter Russian assaults in the Pokrovsk direction.
About Wild Hornets
Wild Hornets is a Ukrainian MilTech company engaged in the development and production of unmanned systems.
Wild Hornets were among the pioneers of using FPV drones for combat purposes and developed Sting, the most effective high-speed interceptor drone for destroying enemy Shahed-type kamikaze drones. Its emergence effectively shaped the interceptor drone niche in Ukraine.
Read more: Story of Sting: How "Wild Hornets" made drone interceptor everyone wants
The company combines leadership in this category with an ecosystem of combat drones and innovative communication technologies that will allow pilots to control drones remotely.
Drones produced by Wild Hornets are currently used by more than 100 units of the Defense Forces: the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the Special Operations Forces, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, the Air Force, and the State Border Guard Service.
