Terminal guidance on interceptors: how it works in Ukraine
AI Analysis
Ukrainian forces are increasingly employing terminal guidance systems on interceptor drones to counter Russian UAVs like Shaheds, Gerans, and Gerberas. F-Drones is a leading provider, integrating the technology into its F7 LITAVR drone, with rollout completed for new production models and retrofits underway. This technology enables autonomous 'last mile' interception after visual confirmation by an operator.
Key Takeaways
- Terminal guidance for interceptor drones is gaining traction in Ukraine, with dozens of companies involved in development.
- F-Drones' F7 LITAVR is currently being used operationally with terminal guidance, demonstrating effectiveness against Russian drones.
- The system operates with a 2km target highlighting range (weather dependent), followed by autonomous interception initiated by operator confirmation.
- F-Drones opted for in-house development of the terminal guidance system to ensure supply chain security and facilitate modifications.
- Terminal guidance is viewed as an intermediate step towards full autonomy for interceptor drones, with Brave1 prioritizing its development through 2026.
Why It Matters
The adoption of terminal guidance significantly enhances the effectiveness of Ukrainian air defense by improving interceptor drone accuracy and reducing operator workload. This development signals a shift towards more autonomous counter-UAS capabilities, potentially influencing future drone warfare tactics and defense strategies globally. The focus on in-house development highlights the increasing importance of supply chain resilience in critical defense technologies.
Terminal guidance on interceptors: how it works in Ukraine
“The Last Mile” for interceptor drones: How far has the development of terminal guidance systems progressed
Defender Media found out how many companies are working on this technology and what challenges its development presents
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Photo: Efrem Lukatsky/AP
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Terminal guidance for FPV drones has been discussed since at least 2024. Since then, an increasing number of developer companies have emerged on the market, and more footage from military personnel showing strikes using this system has appeared online.
More recently, terminal guidance technology has been adopted by interceptor drones. Dozens of companies are already working on it, according to the state cluster Brave1. For Brave1, this is one of its priority areas for 2026, as the technology improves the effectiveness of air defence. At the same time, for many manufacturers, terminal guidance is an intermediate step towards full autonomy.
Regardless, several of the interviewed speakers say the technology is not yet widespread enough. Military personnel explain that both terminal guidance and automatic target detection assist them, with these functions working in tandem.
Defender Media asked manufacturers, associations, and military personnel about the scalability of terminal guidance on interceptors, how it works, and the challenges of its development.
What Ukrainian companies are working on
One of the companies selling interceptors with out-of-the-box terminal guidance is F-Drones. Military personnel are already using their F7 LITAVR drone to shoot down Russian Shaheds, Gerans, and Gerberas.
The company’s founders planned three levels of autonomy from the outset: the first is standard manual control, the second is terminal guidance over what is known as the last mile, and the third is full autonomy. Testing of the terminal guidance system began last year. Drones produced from March 2026 onwards already have it on board, while older models are being retrofitted.
The system works in essentially the same way as terminal guidance on standard FPV drones. At a certain distance, target highlighting appears – typically within 2 km, though this depends on weather conditions. Once the target is visually confirmed, the operator presses the Intercept button, and the interceptor flies autonomously to it. The pilot can still control the drone’s thrust and detonate it remotely.
LITAVR F7 shoots down an enemy drone (Manufacturer’s video)
An F-Drones representative says the company tested third-party solutions but settled on in-house development. This ensures confidence in the component supply chain. It also makes it easier to modify the module. The terminal guidance system has not affected the drone’s final price. The company says it deliberately accepted a reduction in profitability by including the guidance module in the specification without raising the