DUBAI, April 5. /TASS/. Yemeni Houthis from the Ansar Allah rebel movement shot down a reconnaissance drone over Saada province that was used in the interests of the US and Israel, the movement’s military spokesman Yahya Saria announced.
"The Yemeni air defense forces shot down a Giant Shark F360 reconnaissance drone, controlled by the American-Israeli enemy, which was carrying out hostile missions in the airspace of the Saada governorate. The drone was destroyed by a locally produced surface-to-air missile," he said on the air of the Houthi-owned Al Masirah TV channel.
The Giant Shark F360 is an electric fixed-wing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone developed by the Chinese company Viewpro. It is designed for a variety of civilian roles, including long-duration inspection and mapping missions, and the delivery of small cargo. While the design and functionality of the UAV allow it to be adapted for security and defense missions, there is no information about its use by the US or Israeli armies for military purposes.
The Houthis regularly report the destruction of American MQ-9 Reaper reconnaissance and attack drones. The last time Yemeni rebels claimed that an American UAV was destroyed was on April 3 over Al-Hodeidah province. In total, according to a Houthi spokesman, rebel forces have shot down 17 drones of this type since the escalation in the Middle East began. According to the US Congressional Research Service, each device is estimated to cost $30 million.