In a historic milestone, US troops successfully test a SkyRaider FPV drone armed with a Claymore mine to neutralise an enemy unmanned aircraft
For the first time, the United States Army has shot down an enemy UAV using an FPV-type interceptor drone. The test, carried out by the 173rd Airborne Brigade, employed a SkyRaider FPV from Aeryon Defense USA, armed with a Claymore anti-personnel mine.
The demonstration was part of Project Shank, with participation from the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center (DEVCOM Armaments Center), and took place in the skies over Fort Rucker. According to the military, it was “the first aircraft in US Army history to be destroyed in flight by an armed FPV drone.”
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Senior Warrant Officer Nate Shea piloted the SkyRaider, while Senior Warrant Officer Andrew Topits operated a simulated enemy UAV system during the experimental aerial combat. After the Claymore detonated, the interceptor drone lost stability and briefly lost signal, but regained it seconds later, demonstrating the potential for platform reuse.
With an open architecture, the SkyRaider can be adapted to carry different payloads depending on the mission, increasing operational versatility.
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The test was conducted on the eve of the US Army’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Summit and reflects the adoption of lessons learned from the Russia–Ukraine war. This year, the US Armed Forces also tested, in Germany, a drone munitions launch system and officially approved the new Skydio X10D quadcopter as the standard platform for operations.
According to the Department of Defense, initiatives like this are part of the US Army’s large-scale modernisation and experimental programmes, aimed at enhancing effectiveness in contemporary combat scenarios.
Sources and images: Militarnyi | U.S. Army | Instagram @skydiohq. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
