Ukrainian forces have begun using a night-capable version of the Hornet drone in the special military operation zone, according to Pavel Lazanov, commander of a rifle platoon with Russia’s Center group of forces.

Lazanov told TASS that the night variant had been recorded in use relatively recently. He noted that it is not being deployed on the same scale as the daytime version, although such drones are already appearing on the battlefield.

According to the Russian commander, one of the Hornet’s weak points is its electric motor, which can malfunction in rainy conditions. Because of this, Ukrainian units try to operate the drone mainly in dry weather, with the standard version more commonly used during daylight hours.

The Russian Defense Ministry said mobile fire teams from the Center group of forces have already destroyed dozens of Hornet drones, along with heavy FP-2 strike UAVs. The ministry said coordination between the teams allows them to detect and engage aerial targets in time.

Ukrainian forces began using the fixed-wing Hornet drone, produced by U.S. company Swift Beat LLC, earlier this year. In the special military operation zone, the UAV has been nicknamed the «Martian» because of its advanced navigation and guidance system with automatic target acquisition.