Why are Iranian drones so deadly? | The Economist

TL;DR

Shahed drones are deadly because they cost as little as $55,000, fly low to evade radar, and can be launched in massive swarms from trucks.

Key Points

• 1.Shahed drones cost roughly $55,000–$100,000 each, making them vastly cheaper than ballistic missiles and allowing Russia and Iran to launch them in enormous quantities every single month.
• 2.Their low-altitude flight profile defeats traditional radar, letting them skim oceans and terrain — a major challenge for high-end systems like Patriot, which are far more expensive per intercept.
• 3.Ukraine destroyed over 1,700 Shahed drones in January alone, roughly half of Russia's total launches that month, with about 70% of kills achieved using cheap FPV interceptor drones rather than costly missiles.
• 4.AI-guided FPV drone-on-drone intercept is the emerging solution, with Ukrainian units using fast, maneuverable racing drones that autonomously complete the final intercept stage — even deploying them from unmanned boats over the Black Sea.
• 5.Zelensky is leveraging Ukraine's drone-defense expertise as a geopolitical bargaining chip, seeking Gulf investment in Ukrainian defense production and using the technology transfer to pressure Western partners for more weapons and aid.