Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces have disclosed specifications on the special type of aerial drones they use to strike russian territory, which are available both as a kamikaze weapon filled with explosives or as a reusable vehicle for dropping airbombs.
The details on this development, labeled Project Cessna, and combat footage were featured in a video showcased at the Europe's Defense Industry: Opportunities And Threats conference. Reporting from the event was the We Build Ukraine analytical center.
Read more: Night Witches 2.0 of the Drone Age: Ukrainian UAVs Drop FAB-250 on russian Targets
SBS demonstrated the preparation and use of a heavy drone based on a civilian aircraft - "Project Cessna".The drone is positioned as a carrier of high-explosive aviation bombs weighing 250 kg and can be used as a kamikaze drone or as an unmanned bomber.The kamikaze… pic.twitter.com/PsX2vkUd81— MAKS 24 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) April 13, 2025
The video effectively confirms that both the one-way attack and bomber variants were created on the basis of light aircraft, though its potential connection with American aircraft brand Cessna remains unaddressed.
As follows from the captions, the kamikaze drone version of this unmanned aircraft can cover distances up to 2,200 km, while the bomber operates in a smaller 600-kilometer radius, accordingly. With a payload of 250 kg, the latter has just enough capacity to carry an FAB-250 aerial free-falling bomb.
Following the clips of the drone's preparation and takeoff, the video shows footage of these UAVs attacking russian military sites, indicating that the drones are already being actively used for long-range strikes.
Defense Express reminds that the existence of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles based on commercial light aircraft has been reported since April 2024, when russian military bloggers shared a photo of an uncrewed aircraft equipped with an OFAB-100-120 bomb (100 kg).
Nicknamed "night witches" after the famous Soviet regiment of female pilots, the drones mainly approached their targets at low altitudes at night. The prevalent theory was that the aircraft used for conversion is the SkyRanger Swift.
Later in 2025, one of the drones appeared with a more massive 250-kg bomb, the FAB-250M-54, and a 120-mm mortar shell to boot.
According to the CyberBoroshno OSINT community, a drone equipped with an FAB bomb was responsible for the strike on the unique optical fiber plant in Saransk earlier this week. Reports suggest the aircraft had traveled up to 1,500 km to deliver the blow.
Read more: Key russian Explosives Factory Massively Damaged by Ukrainian Drone Attack
