Defender Media shows video of how terminal guidance system works on LITAVR interceptor drones. VIDEO
Drone Industry
The autonomy of interceptor drones, including terminal guidance and automatic target detection, is one of the priority areas for the Defense Forces in 2026, as the technology improves the effectiveness of air defense.
Defender Media wrote about this and showed how the terminal guidance system works on LITAVR interceptors from the Ukrainian company F-Drones, Censor.NET reports.
The terminal guidance technology has recently moved to interceptor drones as well. Dozens of companies are already working on it, according to the state cluster Brave1. For Brave1, this is one of the priority areas for 2026, as the technology improves the effectiveness of air defense.
For manufacturers, however, terminal guidance is often an intermediate stage on the path to full autonomy. One of the companies selling interceptors with terminal guidance "out of the box" is F-Drones. The military are already using its F7 LITAVR drone and shooting down Russian Shaheds, Gerans and Gerberas with it, Defender Media writes.
According to the outlet, the terminal guidance system locks onto a target at a distance of up to 2 kilometers.
"The system’s operation is fundamentally no different from terminal guidance on conventional FPV drones. At a certain distance, the target is highlighted, usually up to 2 km, depending on weather conditions. Once the target is visually confirmed, the operator presses the Intercept button, and the interceptor flies toward it on its own. At the same time, the pilot can control thrust and detonate the UAV from the remote control," Defender Media notes.
At the same time, the outlet writes, installing the terminal guidance system did not affect the final cost of the LITAVR drone.
"Testing of the terminal guidance system began last year. Drones produced since March 2026 already have it on board, while older models are being upgraded separately. The terminal guidance system has not affected the drone’s final cost. The company says it deliberately reduced profitability by including the terminal guidance module in the specification without raising the price. The F7 LITAVR costs UAH 83,000. The manufacturer says it does not plan to sell terminal guidance modules separately," Defender Media writes.
- As previously reported, the LITAVR interceptor drone from F-Drones has been supplied to the military since autumn 2025.
- Its flight range is up to 60 km, and its altitude is 9.5 km.
- Its maximum speed is 300 km/h, with a flight time of up to 15 minutes.
- The warhead weighs 500 g.
- Detonation is carried out by the operator, through a kinetic strike or by self-detonation on contact. It uses an inertial guidance system without GPS, as well as automatic terminal guidance to the target.
