Reports indicate that a thermal imaging device was mounted on the Russian FPV drone known as Hortensia, enabling nighttime combat missions for this class of unmanned aerial systems, according to TASS citing the developer company.
KB Hortensia has announced ongoing expansion of its FPV drone family. The manufacturer notes that the Hortensia control architecture and a range of modular add-ons are continually being developed, broadening the potential uses of the platform. For instance, a version equipped with a thermal camera is now available, enabling night operations in the northwestern military district and opening new possibilities for mission profiles after sunset.
Industry trackers say that since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, the company has supplied more than 2,500 FPV drones to front-line units. In the current month, Russian forces utilizing these drones have published more than 20 videos that purportedly demonstrate the successful operation of Hortensia systems.
Earlier reports indicated that Russian special forces began deploying an FPV drone codenamed Ghoul along the Svatove – Kremennaya corridor, signaling ongoing experimentation with drone-enabled reconnaissance and strike capabilities in that sector.
Additionally, there are mentions of a drone suppression system developed within Russia, signaling efforts to counter drone-enabled threats through a dedicated countermeasure framework.