Ukraine tests low-cost net gun to snag hostile FPV drones

In a training exercise, engineers from defense startup BlueBird Tech walked Ukrainian National Guard soldiers through the operation of their Chipa net gun, a device that launches a net to entangle the propellers of hostile FPV drones. Soldier Poliak pulled the safety pin, aimed, and fired, successfully trapping a drone that had been detected by a handheld sensor. The system, originally intended for civilians in the expanding front-line “kill zone,” costs about Hr 3,000 per unit and is legally classified as a non-firearm, enabling civilian ownership without a permit.

BlueBird’s engineer Eduard said the gun works best at distances of 10 to 20 metres, depending on wind and drone speed, but warned that captured drones may still detonate, endangering nearby personnel. Poliak, who has fought since 2015, noted that while shotguns are preferred at longer ranges, the net gun offers broader coverage at close range, improving chances of preventing a drone strike. The Omega unit will deploy to the front line the following day, taking the net guns alongside their shotguns.