The cheap, plywood drone causing major diplomatic headaches for NATO and the Baltic states

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Gerbera is a low-cost Russian drone built from plywood and foam. Originally designed as a disposable decoy to overwhelm air defenses, it has evolved into a multi-purpose tool for reconnaissance and strikes. Its recent incursions into Lithuanian and Polish airspace have sparked intense debate over intentional hybrid warfare provocations.

The Gerbera drone represents a shift in modern aerial warfare toward extreme cost-efficiency. Estimated to cost only $10,000 to produce, the aircraft is constructed from inexpensive materials, including an internal plywood frame and a polystyrene foam body. It is powered by a Chinese-made internal combustion engine, such as the DLE60, which retails for a few hundred dollars. Despite its humble construction, the drone is equipped with sophisticated electronics, including a Topotek camera and a mesh network modem, allowing it to function as a signal relay to enhance the resilience of other drones against electronic warfare.

First deployed in July 2024, the Gerbera was initially used as a decoy to mimic the more expensive Shahed-136. By late 2024, Russia had scaled up this strategy, with reports suggesting that up to 75% of new drones produced at the Alabuga facility were these unarmed decoys, part of an effort dubbed Operation False Target. However, the platform's utility has since expanded. By April 2025, documented cases confirmed the use of armed Gerberas for tactical strikes, carrying up to 5 kilograms of explosives. While this is significantly less than the 50-kilogram payload of a standard Shahed, the drone's versatility allows it to serve as a kamikaze weapon, a reconnaissance platform, or a signal repeater.

The drone's recent appearances in NATO airspace have turned it into a geopolitical flashpoint. In July 2025, two separate Gerbera drones entered Lithuanian airspace, with one crashing near a border checkpoint and another found at a military training area. While some officials suggested these were accidental deviations caused by electronic interference, others, including Lithuanian politicians, characterized them as deliberate hybrid warfare provocations. The tension escalated in September 2025, when Gerbera drones were involved in a massive incursion over Poland, forcing NATO F-35 fighter jets to engage. Analysts argue that the scale of this event points to a calculated act, marking a significant moment where NATO aircraft engaged enemy targets directly over alliance territory.

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