Sting interceptors twice break the altitude record for downing drones, reaching 7,472 m

Wild Hornets/Sting interceptor drone

Two Ukrainian crews flying Sting set new records for drone-on-drone interception in August 2026: an SBU Alpha pilot hit a target at 6,955 m, and a week later a National Guard crew reached 7,472 m. Russia is flying reconnaissance drones higher to escape interceptors.

• The previous record was 6,858 m.
• Most targets at 6 to 7 km are ZALA Z-20 reconnaissance drones, estimated at about $200,000 each.
• Sting has downed over 11,000 Russian attack drones since January 2026, including more than 2,000 in July, the maker says.