“Slaughterbots” Now: Ukraine’s Head-Hunting Drones Terrify Russians

BusinessAerospace & Defense“Slaughterbots” Now: Ukraine’s Head-Hunting Drones Terrify RussiansByDavid Hambling,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I'm a South London-based technology journalist, consultant and authorFollow AuthorMay 19, 2026, 06:08am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.A Ukrainian drone launches an EFP at a Russian soldier's headRussian MoDRussian military bloggers are warning of a new type of Ukrainian FPV drone with thermal imaging and AI which detects the target’s face and fires a high-velocity projectile at them. A video shows a Russian soldier cut down with what look like a precise head shot from one such drone. Further video confirms the kill. It is impossible to validate the claim, but this looks like a plausible evolutionary step. Ukraine aims to produce some 7 million FPVs this year. With AI guidance and suitable warheads they could inflict unprecedented casualties on Russian foot soldiers.Kill Mechanism: Explosively Formed ProjectileFPVs are typically armed with amor-piercing shaped charges, typically repurposed RPGRPG warheads, or fragmentation warheads. Both of these detonate on impact, the warhead in the video looks like something different. It is detonated around 20 meters from the targets, with a projectile leaving a trail of smoke from the point of the explosion to the impact point. Formation of an EFP Wikimedia CommonsMORE FOR YOUThis is characteristic of an Explosively Formed Projectile or EFP. In a typical shaped charge, the blast from a hollow cone of explosive lines with metal converts the metal liner into a high-speed armor-piercing jet. In an EFP, a heavier metal liner is converted into an aerodynamic slug.EPPs are less efficient at punching holes in armor, but have a greater range, While a typical shaped charge needs to be set off within a meter of the target. EPFs have range...