Orlan-10 UAV captured after straying from its designated flight path.

Despite its superior capabilities compared to similar Israeli products, the Orlan-10 UAV was not only shot down but also captured alive on the battlefield.

Fighters from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) said they captured a Russian Orlan-10 drone in Hama province, Syria, after it went astray.

Following the FSA's public release of information and images regarding the seizure of the Orlan-10, Russia has yet to comment on the incident. If this information is confirmed, it would be the second loss in Syria, out of at least three instances of this UAV being lost in combat.

The Orlan-10 was captured by FSA forces.

Reportedly, in late 2014, an Orlan-10 was also shot down by Ukrainian special forces in the Donetsk region of northeastern Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian news agency Interfax, Ukrainian army special forces shot down a drone believed to be a Russian-made Orlan-10.

Speaking to Interfax, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Security Service said that initial preliminary analyses by special forces indicated that the aircraft they had just shot down was a configuration of the Russian-made Orlan-10 UAV.

"The Orlan-10 is a component of the Russian Army's aerial surveillance and reconnaissance system. It is capable of 3D mapping and processing combat operations. Due to its modular design, the Orlan-10 can carry thermal imaging cameras, cameras, video recorders, and radio transceivers," a Ukrainian spokesperson said.

According to reports, Ukrainian special forces and airborne troops conducted military operations in the northeastern part of the country and discovered and shot down a drone in the area.

A press statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense indicated that they had seized the aircraft and removed its payload. More detailed information about the aircraft's structure, although analyzed, was not released to the media by Kyiv.

The Orlan-10 is a UAV with a flight speed of 75-170 km/h, a controllable radius of 180-200 km, a ceiling of 5,000 m, and the ability to operate continuously for 16-18 hours. With this range, the Russian manufacturer claims that this UAV has a much longer operational range than the much larger Searcher from Israel.

The aircraft is capable of autonomous flight and photography; simply input the coordinates and altitude, and the aircraft will automatically fly to the location via GLONASS or GPS, collect information, and then return if it exceeds the communication range of the control station.

Video clip of the Orlan-10 being captured in Aleppo in early 2016:

According to Baodatviet