Key facts
- The Chipa net gun is designed to entangle drone propellers.
- Each launcher costs approximately Hr 3,000 ($67) and is single-use.
- The device is classified as a non-firearm, accessible to civilians without a permit.
Engineers from BlueBird Tech demonstrated their Chipa net gun to soldiers from the Ukrainian National Guard's Omega unit on October 20, 2026. The device is designed to entangle the propellers of approaching first-person-view (FPV) drones. The Chipa was developed for civilians living in front-line areas where Russian soldiers have been targeting civilians and vehicles.
According to Eduard, an engineer from BlueBird Tech, each launcher costs around Hr 3,000 (about $67) and can only be fired once. He emphasized that the Chipa is classified as a non-firearm, allowing civilians to purchase it without a permit. The net gun's effective range is between 10 to 20 meters, depending on wind and drone speed.
Soldiers from the Omega unit, who have been fighting since 2015, carry the net guns alongside shotguns for close-range drone defense. Poliak, a soldier with the unit, noted that while drones can be detected, the net gun is for immediate threats when drones are already close. He also mentioned that even a drone exploding nearby can be the difference between life and death.