OSMP: Gerbera series

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Gerbera series

A series of Russian-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), Gerberas are cheap and lightweight drones primarily used for reconnaissance or as decoys to saturate air defence. Their airframes are constructed from styrofoam and plywood to minimise weight and cost, and they use simple two-stroke petrol (gasoline) engines, such as the DLE60, with a reported maximum effective range of 600 km. Guidance is provided by a GPS/GNSS module . Some variants of Gerbera are used in a one-way attack role, carrying a small warhead weighing a few kilograms. They have seen extensive use during the ongoing Ukraine war as well as making incursions into Polish airspace.

OSMP1643

Rocket or Missile Ukraine Gerbera series

Analyst Note:

This photo shows some of the lithium-ion power banks found within a Gerbera UAV. These are used to power the onboard avionics, control surfaces, communications hardware, camera, and other components. The quantity and type of batteries fitted to the Gerbera will often vary based on the role for which the UAV has been configured—one-way attack (OWA; i.e., a ‘sacrificial’ munition), reconnaissance, signal relay, or decoy—and which specific hardware has been installed to effect this mission. (ARES)

OSMP1642

Rocket or Missile Ukraine Gerbera series

Analyst Note:

This photo shows the fuel bladder of a Gerbera UAV, which still contains some fuel. It is likely that a bladder is used—rather than a rigid tank—to save on both weight and cost. Some variants of the Gerbera have been observed to be fitted with a second bladder in the forward section of the fuselage, serving to extend the UAV’s range. (ARES)

OSMP1647

Rocket or Missile Ukraine Gerbera series

Analyst Note:

The DLE60 two-stroke petrol (gasoline) engine pictured here is the standard engine found on Gerbera UAVs. It is produced by the Chinese company Mile Haoxiang Technology Co., Ltd. and marketed specifically for use in UAVs. Although the Gerbera is manufactured in Russia, the engine and many other key components continue to be supplied from Chinese sources. (ARES)

OSMP1648

Rocket or Missile Ukraine Gerbera series

Analyst Note:

This image shows a Controlled Reception Pattern Antennas (CRPA) unit installed on a Gerbera-series UAV. CRPAs are specialised antenna arrays that help protect GPS receivers from interference, spoofing, and jamming. This particular model, featuring four antennas, was first observed on the Shahed-136 UAV and has since been routinely seen fitted to Gerbera-series UAVs. An alternative array, with six antenna elements, has also been observed, reflecting the varied and ever-evolving state of electronic warfare in Ukraine. (ARES)

OSMP1641

Rocket or Missile Ukraine Gerbera series

Analyst Note:

A Gerbera-series UAV is pictured here being carried by just two Ukrainian soldiers. This highlights the Gerbera’s lightweight design—the airframe is mostly constructed from Styrofoam and wood, which saves on both weight and cost. This particular example does not bear signs of significant damage, suggesting that it either malfunctioned or was brought down by EW and crashed. (ARES)

OSMP1644

Rocket or Missile Ukraine Gerbera series

Analyst Note:

This image shows an A40 Pro camera, manufactured by the Chinese company Viewpro UAV and design specifically for use in UAVs. The black box to the right of the camera is the control box which manages video output, camera control, and power. The manufacturer claims this model has a 40× optical zoom, AI detection and tracking, and 3-axis gyro-stabilisation. The company further claims that it can customise the onboard AI recognition based on “target characteristics” provided by the client. Numerous Gerberas fitted with this model of camera are known to have been recovered by Ukrainian forces, although it is by no means the only camera model in use. (ARES)

OSMP1649

Rocket or Missile Ukraine Gerbera series

Analyst Note:

This image shows the back surface of a wireless communications module contained within a downed Gerbera UAV. Although labeled as an HX-50 model designed for fixed locations, Ukrainian military analysis indicates this is an XK-F358 mesh-network module more suitable for use in UAVs. See OSMP1646 for further details. (ARES)

OSMP1646

Rocket or Missile Ukraine Gerbera series

Analyst Note:

This image shows the front and interior surfaces of a wireless communications module recovered from a downed Gerbera UAV. Although labelled as an HX-50 industrial wireless modem (compatible with WiFi and 5G/4G networks and designed for fixed locations), analysis by Ukrainian military sources indicates that this component is, in fact, an XK-F358 mesh-network module which offers significantly more capabilities. Manufactured and sold by Shenzhen Xingkai Technology Co., Ltd., these modules are designed for, amongst other things, use in robots and unmanned vehicles. Gerbera UAVs have been found operating on a wide variety of frequencies and networks, and this type of module is well-suited to this use. (ARES)

OSMP1645

Rocket or Missile Ukraine Gerbera series

Analyst Note:

Pictured is a navigation/GPS module recovered from a downed Gerbera UAV. This particular model is used with the 4-antenna CRPA module seen in OSMP1648. The four RX ports on the bottom are normally directly connected to the CRPA (antenna) module, with other connections made to the UAV’s flight controller and power sources. Some Gerberas have been recovered with CRPA modules bearing a different number of antennas; different navigation modules have been observed on these. (ARES)

OSMP1638