British-made MQM-185B drone, based on the Banshee Jet 80+, was found near a Russian position in the occupied Luhansk region in the East of Ukraine.
Russian sources claim it was a suicide drone downed by their air defense systems, although no signs of missile or anti-aircraft fire damage are evident in the published footage.
The MQM-185B, manufactured by the UK-based QinetiQ, is an aerial target drone designed to simulate realistic threat scenarios during military exercises. With a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet, it can mimic low-level sea skimming and terrain following, providing a lifelike adversary for training purposes.
Ukrainian forces may be employing these drones to detect Russian air defense systems and divert them from genuine targets. While technically feasible, such drones could potentially be repurposed as one-way attack drones, known popularly as “suicide” drones.