Piranha drone that destroyed first Abrams tank in special military op upgraded — developer
The drone recieved modular design and the ability to use four control frequencies simultaneously
MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. The Piranha-10 attack drone, which notably destroyed a US-made Abrams tank at the beginning of Russia’s special military operation zone in Ukraine, has received a package of modifications, including a modular design, a representative of SKB Piranha (Simbirsk Design Bureau) told TASS on the sidelines of the International Helicopter Industry Exhibition HeliRussia 2026.
"The first Abrams tank was destroyed by a 10-inch drone operating on a single video and control frequency. We then upgraded the drone, enabling it to use four control frequencies simultaneously. This means the system automatically selected the most stable signal without operator intervention. The drone then received a modular system. Previously, if you needed to replace, for example, a camera or another component, you had to solder and completely disassemble the drone. Now it's much easier. The new design allows you to remove the camera, the video transmitter, and the control receiver, which already has special mounts," he said.
According to the company representative, the drone’s modular design allows the operator to more quickly replace components if necessary, while all components are universal and can be used on different Piranha models.
The Piranha Simbirsk Design Bureau was founded in the Ulyanovsk Region by unmanned aerial vehicle specialists. Since 2022, the company has produced more than 35,000 unmanned systems. Piranha FPV drones are small unmanned aircraft and, depending on the model, can carry a payload of five kg and destroy enemy ground vehicles, dugouts, trenches, and supply facilities. Modern Piranha drone models are equipped with homing devices that incorporate artificial intelligence technologies.