Black Wasp: Lithuania’s AI-Powered Interceptor Drone That Hunts Shaheds

In June 2026, Lithuanian company Granta Autonomy unveiled the Black Wasp, a compact autonomous interceptor drone designed to counter enemy strike, reconnaissance, and loitering munitions — including Shahed-class drones — using an AI/ML-enabled flight stack for automated target tracking and terminal guidance .

Weighing approximately 4 kg with a maximum takeoff weight under that mark, the Black Wasp is built for rapid deployment from anywhere . Its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability means it requires no catapult, launcher, or prepared runway . The drone measures 600 × 450 × 450 mm including its propeller arc .

Key Specifications

Specification	Published Value	Source
Maximum takeoff weight	~4 kg
Dimensions	600 × 450 × 450 mm (propeller arc included)
Warhead payload	Up to 500 g
Cruise / max speed	160 km/h / 320 km/h
Flight range	20 km / 40 km with return
Flight endurance	Up to 15 min (cruise); >6 min at max speed
Operational altitude	Up to 7,000 m MSL
Climb rate	30 m/s
Launch method	VTOL (no launcher or catapult)

AI and Machine Learning Navigation

The Black Wasp operates using Granta Autonomy's battlefield-proven AI/ML flight control system, which enables automated flight, precision target tracking, and terminal guidance . The system can identify, track, and guide the drone to an intercept point without continuous operator input . This autonomy is critical for operating in contested electronic warfare environments where remote control links may be jammed or unreliable .

While the provided sources confirm the AI/ML flight stack and general autonomous engagement capability, they do not detail the specific sensor fusion architecture or computer vision algorithms used for target classification .

Electronic Warfare Resilience

Granta Autonomy describes the Black Wasp as