Ukrainian MilTech company "Wild Hornets" launches its own counter-drone air defence network
Drone Industry
The Ministry of Defence has issued an order officially authorising Ukrainian miltech company "Wild Hornets" to conduct air defence operations and form its own air defence teams for the company’s anti-Shahed unit, "Night Hornets", which already has substantial combat experience and dozens of downed targets. Work to establish its own counter-drone air defence network began on Monday, October 5.
"Wild Hornets" told Censor.NET’s "Drone Industry" project about this.
The counter-drone air defence network will include remote control centres, a remote drone launch network based on Hornet Vision Ctrl technology, and field positions.
"We will not sell a 'facility protection' service. Our private air defence operations will be financed using the company’s own funds. 'Night Hornets' will operate wherever protection against Russian attack drones is needed today, as part of Ukraine’s overall air defence system under the command of the Ukrainian Air Force," the company said.
"Night Hornets" crews already go on combat duty alongside Ukrainian troops every day. The unit has destroyed more than 50 Shaheds, including jet-powered variants. Most targets were destroyed using Hornet Vision Ctrl technology to control interceptor drones remotely.
"This area of our work is now expanding in scale. We develop technologies, manufacture interceptors and train pilots – and now we ourselves are becoming part of the system that protects Ukrainian skies. Including the skies over Kyiv," "Wild Hornets" said.
About the "Night Hornets" unit
"Night Hornets" is a unit of instructors and test pilots at "Wild Hornets". Since October 2024, they have worked alongside Ukrainian troops to develop and test prototypes of high-speed Sting interceptor drones, destroying Russian Shaheds in combat conditions. This allows "Night Hornets" to be regarded as Ukraine’s first private "short-range air defence" crew.
Since the summer of 2025, "Night Hornets" instructors have been training Ukrainian troops to operate Sting interceptors effectively. During this time, they have trained more than 1,000 pilots.
Since May 2026, "Night Hornets" has combined training with protecting Ukrainian skies. During the day, instructors train Ukrainian troops, and at night they help carry out combat missions in direct cooperation with Defence Forces units, controlling interceptor drones remotely.
As a reminder, "Wild Hornets" has developed a new high-speed Sting S interceptor to counter Russian jet-powered drones. It is currently undergoing combat testing and demonstrating its effectiveness: in just a few days, Ukrainian service members used the new interceptor to destroy around 10 enemy Geran-4 jet-powered drones and several small Geran-5 missiles.
About the company "Wild Hornets"
Wild Hornets is a Ukrainian MilTech company engaged in the development and production of unmanned systems.
Wild Hornets was 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.
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 now used by more than 100 units of Ukraine's Defense Forces: the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the Special Operations Forces, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, the Air Force, and the State Border Guard Service.
