FPV drone with 35 kilometres of range: Russia unveils KVN-35 'Prince Vandal of Novgorod'

The general designer of the drone engineering team behind the fibre-optic first-person view (FPV) drone 'Prince Vandal of Novgorod' (KVN) has presented a new long-range modification. Designated KVN-35, the FPV drone of the Russian armed forces covers distances of up to 35 kilometres while carrying a three-kilogram warhead.

With a spool shortened to 23 kilometres, it can carry a five-kilogram warhead. Designer Alexey Chadayev told the Russian news agency TASS:

Our idea is that this makes the use of Vandal more flexible and leaves operators the choice: they can fly further or hit harder – depending on the task here and now— Alexey Chadayev, designer, to TASS

Specifications like these are not usually made public in advance. The drone is therefore probably already in use, and Ukraine is likely aware of this information by now.

The KVN engineers are based at the 'Ushkuynik' research and production centre in Veliky Novgorod. KVN was first used in August 2024. In September 2025, the Russian side put the combined production capacity of several production centres at over 50,000 units per month. This year Russia aims to become independent of imported components and bring production fully onshore.

Fibre-optic FPV drone: a growing threat at range

Fibre-optic FPV drones are immune to electronic warfare and can be used for a range of tasks. Because they also operate from the ground without connection problems, ambushes have become common: the drones lie in wait, often for a very long time, for their victims.

Previously, only special forces with modified drones reached such distances; now series models do as well. This indicates that distances in drone warfare will continue to grow.

A comparison makes the ranges tangible: the drone, which one soldier can carry and steer to the target, already flies further than the 28-tonne M-109A5Ö self-propelled howitzer of the Austrian Armed Forces (Bundesheer), with its five-person crew, can fire. Its unguided shells reach 30 kilometres at most.

For comparison, some straight-line distances: 22 kilometres separate the Maria-Theresien-Kaserne in Vienna-Hietzing from Fliegerhorst Leopold Figl – Flugplatz General Pabisch in Langenlebarn near Tulln. It is 26 kilometres from Militärkommando Burgenland in Eisenstadt to the Benedek-Kaserne in Bruckneudorf. From the Rohr-Kaserne of the Villach engineers to Jägerbataillon 25 in Klagenfurt's Khevenhüller-Kaserne, the distance is 32 kilometres.