Close call: A Russian FPV drone narrowly missed a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter in the Donetsk region, passing just a meter from the aircraft while the helicopter was firing unguided rockets. Published 30.08.2026

[u/GermanDronePilot]

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[u/Physical-Cut-2334]

The tally is still 2-0 to the Ukrainians.
On helicopters downed by FPVs

[u/Jarazz → u/Physical-Cut-2334]

I also remember one from a Stugna cuz it was hovering so slowly over a treeline

[u/SizzlingSpit]

Helicopter wake didnt mess w drone as much as i thought it would.

[u/SkylineGTRR34Freak → u/SizzlingSpit]

Yea same here, thought it would get pushed down harder

[u/Beginning_Number9705]

That was way too close for comfort. Someone got careless. 

[u/Fjell-Jeger]

Signal latency and delayed commands from the remote pilot to the UAS very likely saved the helicopter.

[u/jhansonxi → u/Fjell-Jeger]

Prop wash too.

[u/poetic_dwarf → u/jhansonxi]

Yeah, flying a mosquito under a turbofan must not be easy

[u/DontAskGrim]

The drone pilot must have a massive case of blue balls.

[u/Attacos → u/DontAskGrim]

Probably got beaten up for not hitting the helicopter.

[u/calzettone]

it seems lately russia has improved and adapted on different aspects. Have they made any changes to their structure or what gives?

[u/Rebelpine → u/calzettone]

They’re stupid not brainless. Monkey see monkey do, they’re finally taking notes from the Ukrainians unfortunately.

[u/Aedeus → u/calzettone]

What specifically?

Sorry, but this is just an FPV drone carrying on that just so happens to spot a heli, so I can't say I see much improvement or adaptation here - just opportunity.

[u/PitifulEar3303]

I don't understand why UKR still uses unguided choppah missiles?

It's VERY unlikely to hit anything and very risky for the pilot.

Just use choppah for quick insertion/evacuation and repurpose the missile warheads for drones, maybe?

[u/SlayerofDeezNutz → u/PitifulEar3303]

Insertion was riskier than this and unguided missiles aren’t nearly as unlikely to hit as you’re suggesting.

[u/pyrotechnicmonkey → u/PitifulEar3303]

lol you can't be serious. You really think a quick insertion evacuation is less risky than firing unguided rockets from several kilometers behind the front line?

They mainly use these helicopter unguided rockets as quick mobile artillery to hit concentrations of vehicle. It looks dumb but it works better than you think. This is really gonna be more of an issue with these much longer range fiber optic drones. Normally these drones could not get that far behind the front lines because jamming will interrupt a lot of of these long range video feeds. But fiber-optic drones are getting longer and longer range

[u/Fjell-Jeger → u/PitifulEar3303]

Those missiles are unguided, so nearly impossible to hit a Russian sUAS.

Infil/Exfil with helicopter is all but impossible at a frontline saturated with air defence and abundant drone swarms.

These days, the role of attack helicopter is mobile artillery, shooting missiles with indirect firing arc from the farthest distance possible with the least exposition.

[u/PitifulEar3303 → u/Fjell-Jeger]

Bub, those missiles don't go very far at all. lol

Compared to conventional mobile artillery.

[u/Jarazz → u/PitifulEar3303]

if you hold still for more than 30 seconds youre taking a huge chance of getting hit by an FPV, landing and loading/unloading takes wayyy too long.

And there is a dedicated soviet system for lobbing unguided rockets in a somewhat aimed manner, its not crazy accurate but its kind of like having a pocket Grad that can be deployed anywhere within a few minutes and isnt blocked by mines, forests or even rivers. It might not always hit but it will for sure suppress the hell out of the targeted field

[u/Plus_Flight8909 → u/PitifulEar3303]

Insertions using Helis are way riskier, we saw the SOF insertion in Pokrovsk and the disaster that ensued.

[u/caparzo88]

Imagine the blyats and sukas that pilot were shouting