Death From Above

Earlier this year, Russian weapons manufacturer Almaz-Antey filed a patent for a new drone that was little more than a shotgun with wings.

When Futurism first reported on the drone, details were scarce. But now, video footage of flight tests has surfaced showing the drone — which looks like a murderous model plane ­— in action.

Balancing Act

The drone carries a 12-caliber Vepr-12 semi-automatic shotgun, Tom’s Guide reports. One might justifiably expect the recoil of a shotgun blast to send a drone veering off course, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Scientists from the Moscow Aviation Institute who worked on the drone published a press release saying that the drone can continue on its path after firing, and that its electric battery allows for 40 minutes of uninterrupted flight.

Human Touch

Video footage shows the drone taking off and landing with its nose — and barrel — pointed straight into the air.

But when all else fails, a video shows that a human can remove the drone’s wings and shoot it just like any other shotgun.

READ MORE: Watch Russia’s Flying Rifle In Action For the First Time Ever [Tom’s Guide]

More on the shotgun drone: Russian Arms Maker Invents Drone With Built-in Rifle

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Watch Russia’s New Shotgun-Wielding Drone in Action