Russian military units are deploying Ural-developed Zanoza first-person view drones across all key directions of the Special Military Operation in Ukraine, official media reported.
Manufacturer sources told Russian state news agency TASS that total deliveries of the Zanoza unmanned aerial vehicles have surpassed 11,000 units across multiple modifications.
The manufacturing company stated that the aircraft have already demonstrated high operational effectiveness under dense electronic warfare conditions deployed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Developers noted that ongoing improvements are being introduced to the drones based on combat experience and direct feedback from Russian service members.
Production Breakdown and Hardware Upgrades
The total supply volume includes more than 10,000 standard radio-controlled versions alongside over 1,000 specialized units guided by fiber-optic cables. Engineers carried out a comprehensive hardware modernization of the Zanoza-10 model, reinforcing its defense against both external jamming signals and onboard radio interference to maintain a stable control link during heavy combat.
First-person view, or FPV, drones are small remotely piloted aircraft controlled by an operator using real-time video streaming directly from an onboard camera to video goggles or a monitor. The Urals region, spanning the Ural Mountains in western Russia, is a major heavy industrial and defense manufacturing center that produces armor, weaponry, and military electronics.
Flight Range and Payload Specifications
According to figures released by the developer, Zanoza drones can transport warheads weighing up to 3.5 kilograms over distances reaching up to 42 kilometers. Beyond serving as weapons against armored vehicles, motor transports, and fortified positions, military forces utilize the aircraft for aerial reconnaissance and frontline cargo delivery.
The specialized fiber-optic modification is completely immune to electronic warfare and radio suppression systems. Rather than transmitting command signals over open radio frequencies, fiber-optic drones unspool a continuous glass fiber line as they fly, maintaining an uninterrupted physical link between the operator and the aircraft. The manufacturer stated that these fiber-optic units are supplied with specialized cable spools measuring 15, 20, and 25 kilometers in length.
Air Defense Operations
The deployment report follows earlier official disclosures that aircraft-type Malysh drones entered service with air defense units in the Western grouping of Russian forces. The Malysh drones are deployed to assist anti-drone detachment crews within an anti-aircraft missile brigade tasked with intercepting and neutralizing Ukrainian strike drones.
TASS is Russia's principal state news agency, established in Moscow to distribute official news and government statements. Electronic warfare refers to military tactics aimed at jamming, intercepting, or disabling an adversary's electromagnetic signals, including radio communication channels and satellite navigation guidance systems.
