Wild Hornets
The Wild Hornets (Ukrainian: диких шершнів, romanized dykykh shershniv) is a Ukrainian self-described non-profit charity with the purpose of fabricating combat and support drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Created in spring 2023 by engineers working with the anti-tank unit of the Separate Presidential Brigade, drones from the Wild Hornets organization have been seen in use by several units of both the armed forces of Ukraine and the Main Directorate of Intelligence (Ukraine).[1]
The group has risen to prominence due to the creation of several innovative drone systems for the side of Ukraine, including the "Queen Hornet" FPV heavy bomber drone,[2] the "Sting" anti-air FPV drone[3] and the manufacturing of the "Wild Dragon" (whose concept was developed by the similarly named Steel Hornets company[4]). The group has also filmed experimental drones attached with automatic weapons[5] and rocket launchers[6] and claims to have already fielded FPV drones with Artificial intelligence capabilities.[7]
Unlike other Ukrainian manufacturers, Wild Hornets describes itself as a non-profit instead of a company, and depends of private donations instead of state funding.[7]
Origin
[edit]The Russo-Ukrainian War has seen extensive use of drone warfare, with Ukraine claiming to have produced one million drones in 2024 alone.[8] In February 2023 a member of Ukraine's Separate Presidential Brigade asked Wild Hornet's co-founder Dmytro Prodanyuk, then member of the volunteer organization "Svoboda Ukraine", if his volunteer organization could supply FPV drones to the brigade. Podanyuk along with other four volunteers, some of those being engineers, set forward to create such drones.
The drones became instantly popular with the drone units within the Brigade, which in turn made them ask for more drones. Needing funding for the production of more drones, the group turned to a fundraiser organized by Ukrainian journalist Yurii Butusov, who, while initially skeptic, eventually confirmed the legitimacy of the group and launched a fundraiser that gathered 1.7 million Hyrvnia ($46,000) for the Wild Hornets and other fundraisers since then.[9]
Service in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
[edit]Drones manufactured by the Wild Hornets have seen action in every front of the conflict since their creation in 2023. First used by the Separate Presidential Brigade, Wild Hornet drones have been used by the 1st Tank Brigade (Ukraine) during the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive[9]. The Bulava unit of the Separate Presidential Brigade used Wild Hornet drones to stop a russian counteroffensive in Urozhaine, recaptured during the offensive.[10]
In 2024, Wild Hornet drones have also been seen during the Battle of Avdiivka (2023–2024), resulting in the visually confirmed losses of 9 tanks and 12 Infantry Fighting Vehicles.[11] In February, the group released a video of the Bulava unit using their drones to destroy a Russian-occupied warehouse, resulting in the destruction of several vehicles, including a T-72 and a BMPT Terminator.[12] With the fall of Avdiivka, the drones began to be used to slow the Russian advance in the Pokrovsk offensive,[13] also being used for drone interception,[14] with the group releasing a video of over a hundred Russian reconnaissance drones being downed by Wild Hornet FPV drones. In early September combat footage of a dragon drone has been released by the Bulava unit (then operating in Zaporizhzhia Oblast)
In September, Wild Hornet drones have been seen used to recapture the aggregate plant during the Battle of Vovchansk,[15] Wild Hornet Drones were also used by the 95th Air Assault Brigade (Ukraine) during the 2024 Kursk offensive[16]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Wild Hornets - manufacturing FPV drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine". dykishershni.com. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ Hambling, David. "Ukraine Launches Queen Hornet Supersized FPV Bomber Drone". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ Barnes, Joe (2024-10-20). "Anti-drone drone developed by Ukraine to take out Iranian-designed kamikazes". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ Hambling, David. "Steel Hornets: Inside Ukraine's Amazon For Drone Bombs". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ TAB (2024-09-06). "Gun-Armed Drone in Ukraine". The Armourers Bench. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ TAB (2024-09-21). "RPG-FPV – Rocket Launcher Drones in Ukraine". The Armourers Bench. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ a b Hambling, David. "Ukrainian Wild Hornets Co-Founder Talks About The Future Of Drone Wars". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ AFP, Staff Writer With (2023-12-20). "Ukraine Will Produce 'One Million Drones' in 2024: Zelensky". The Defense Post. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ a b Roslin, Alex (2023-07-08). "Wild Hornets: Ukraine's Tiny Armor-Busting, Trench-Clearing Secret Weapon". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ Roslin, Alex (2023-10-11). "Analysis: How Wild Hornet Drones Helped Stop Russian Attack at Urozhaine". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ Axe, David. "'A Funny Story Happened.' How A Ukrainian Drone Group Destroyed 21 Russian Vehicles In A Single Raid". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ Reporter, Isabel van Brugen News (2024-02-20). "Russia loses military kit worth "millions" in Ukraine drone strike". Newsweek. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ Слідство.Інфо | Розслідування, репортажі, викриття (2024-08-15). Під Покровськом штурмують кожні 2-3 години: як бредлі, fpv-дрони та гради відбивають атаки росіян. Retrieved 2024-10-22 – via YouTube.
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Hambling, David. "Video Shows Ukrainian Interceptors Downing Over 100 Russian Drones". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ https://x.com/wilendhornets/status/1838985953345495496
- ^ https://x.com/wilendhornets/status/1837941557896319084