Main image: Ban-One interceptor drone. Photo by Persha Universalna Firma (PUF)
Ukrainian defence manufacturer Persha Universalna Firma (PUF) has brought a new high-speed interceptor drone, Ban-One, to market as Ukraine expands its arsenal of domestically developed weapons to counter Russian Shahed attacks.
Designed to intercept both fixed-wing and multirotor drones, Ban-One can reach speeds of up to 370 km/h and engage aerial targets at altitudes of several kilometres, according to Militarnyi.
The interceptor's operational speed ranges from 190 to 345 km/h, although the manufacturer's own specifications put the upper limit at 320 km/h. Its maximum speed is reported to be between 350 and 370 km/h.
One of the engineering challenges was maintaining performance during high-speed flight. PUF addressed this by moving the electronic speed controller outside the airframe, allowing more effective cooling and reducing the likelihood of speed losses under sustained loads.
The drone's modular construction also allows it to be configured for different missions. Built around a fibreglass laminate frame, Ban-One can carry daylight, low-light or thermal imaging cameras, as well as combined camera systems. Operators can adjust the cameras remotely during flight.
The interceptor is manually controlled and supports several communication frequencies and both analogue and digital video transmission.
Its interchangeable lower fuselage section allows different payload configurations, with a maximum carrying capacity of 400 grams.
The aircraft's unusual name originated during development. Engineers nicknamed the yellow, elongated prototype "banana", a reference that eventually evolved into Ban-One.
The interceptor has already appeared on Ukraine's Brave1 Market defence procurement platform, where three configurations are listed.
The basic Ban-One D, equipped with an analogue daylight camera, costs UAH 38,000. The digital-camera Ban-One DG is priced at UAH 47,170, while the Ban-One T, fitted with a thermal imaging camera, costs UAH 57,300.
Complete systems, which include ground control equipment, are considerably more expensive, ranging from approximately UAH 2.09 million to UAH 3.05 million depending on the configuration.
All versions can also be purchased through the e-Points system, which Ukrainian military units use to acquire equipment through the defence procurement platform.
PUF has developed its own universal ground control station, compatible with analogue, digital and fibre-optic communications. The manufacturer says the interceptor can also be adapted to ground control systems already in service with Ukrainian units.
The launch comes as Ukrainian manufacturers increasingly focus on interceptor drones as a means of countering Russia's large-scale use of Shahed-type UAVs. Such systems offer an alternative to using expensive surface-to-air missiles against comparatively low-cost aerial targets.
PUF has not disclosed how many Ban-One interceptors have been produced or whether the system has already recorded successful interceptions in combat.
