Aircraft & UAVs

Shahed-131

Also known as
  • Shahed 131
  • HESA Shahed-131
  • Geran-1
  • Geran 1
  • Geranium-1
  • Waid-1
  • Waid 1

The Shahed-131 is the smaller Iranian one-way attack UAV in the Shahed-131/Shahed-136 family, built around a delta-wing airframe, pre-programmed coordinate navigation, and a compact warhead. Russia operates the type as Geran-1 in Ukraine, Iran has used Shahed-131-series salvos in direct regional attacks, and Houthi sources and U.S. intelligence identify the Waid-1 as the corresponding smaller Houthi designation.

Shahed-131, Long-range one-way attack UAV, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: Shahed-131 Retrieved by the US Military

Use in Conflicts

2014 Russia-Ukraine Wardeep strikestrikeUAV
Side
Russia
Role
One-way attack UAV strikes

Russia has fielded Shahed-131-class drones under the Geran-1 designation in Ukraine, with U.S. intelligence and CSIS identifying recovered Geran-1 material as the smaller Shahed-131 family.

2004 Iranian-Kurdish ConflictstrikeUAV
Side
Iran
Role
Cross-border one-way attack UAV strike

CSIS reports that a Shahed-131 wing stabilizer was recovered after Iran's September 2022 strike campaign against Kurdish opposition targets in northern Iraq.

2025 Israel-Iran Conflictdeep strikestrikeUAV
Side
Iran
Role
One-way attack UAV salvo

Iran has used Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones in direct attacks on Israel, with CSIS describing them as part of pre-programmed salvos intended to overwhelm air defenses.

Profile / Specs

Specifications

Role
Long-range one-way attack UAV / loitering munition
Length
About 2.6 m in public references
Wingspan
About 2.2 m
Takeoff weight
About 135 kg
Range
Public references commonly cite up to about 900 km
Payload
About 10-15 kg warhead in public references
Speed
About 180 km/h for the Shahed-131/-136 piston-engine family
Engine
Rear-mounted rotary/Wankel-type piston engine in recovered-system references
Guidance
Pre-programmed coordinate navigation using satellite/inertial guidance
Launch method
Rack or rail launch with rocket-assisted takeoff in public references
Airframe And Payload Profile

Public technical sources describe the Shahed-131 as a relatively simple one-way attack UAV: a small delta-wing airframe, rear-mounted rotary engine, satellite/inertial navigation, and a warhead sized for fixed-target strike rather than recovery or reuse.

FeatureTechnical noteReferences
NavigationPre-programmed coordinate attack using satellite and inertial navigation; public sources do not describe a live operator control link for terminal targeting.CSIS Missile Threat Shahed-131 and -136; Shahed-131 & -136 UAVs: A Visual Guide
Warhead classSmaller than Shahed-136, with public references commonly describing a roughly 10-15 kg payload or warhead class.CSIS Missile Threat Shahed-131 and -136; Shahed-131 & -136 UAVs: A Visual Guide
Launch patternUsed as a rack- or rail-launched expendable UAV with rocket-assisted launch equipment in public imagery and recovered-system comparisons.DIA Iranian UAVs in Ukraine Visual Comparison; Shahed-131 & -136 UAVs: A Visual Guide
Variants

The smaller Shahed-131/Geran-1/Waid-1 family is distinct from the larger Shahed-136/Geran-2 companion model, which public references give a heavier airframe and longer-range specifications.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Shahed-136, Long-range one-way attack UAV, Aircraft & UAVsShahed-136Larger companion model

The Shahed-136/Geran-2 is the larger same-family one-way attack UAV, with public references crediting it with greater payload and range than the Shahed-131/Geran-1.

Sources: CSIS Missile Threat Shahed-131 and -136, Shahed-131 & -136 UAVs: A Visual Guide

Timeline

Shahed-131 Key Events

  1. Shahed-131 evidence appears after Iranian strikes in Iraq

    CSIS reports that a Shahed-131 wing stabilizer was recovered after Iranian strikes against Kurdish opposition targets in northern Iraq.

    Sources: CSIS Missile Threat Shahed-131 and -136

  2. Geran-1 appears in Russian service

    U.S. intelligence material and CSIS identify Geran-1 as the Russian designation for Shahed-131-class drones used during the Russia-Ukraine War 2014-present.

    Sources: CSIS Missile Threat Shahed-131 and -136, DIA Iranian UAVs in Ukraine Visual Comparison

  3. Waid-1 tied to the Houthi Shahed-131-equivalent family

    CSIS and the Defense Intelligence Agency identify the Houthi Waid-1 as the smaller Shahed-131-equivalent one-way attack UAV.

    Sources: CSIS Missile Threat Shahed-131 and -136, DIA Iran Enabling Houthi Attacks

  4. Shahed-131 appears in direct Israel-Iran strikes

    CSIS describes Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones as part of Iranian one-way attack UAV salvos against Israel in the direct Israel-Iran conflict.

    Sources: CSIS Missile Threat Shahed-131 and -136

  5. CSIS updates consolidated Shahed-131/-136 profile

    CSIS published an updated profile consolidating Shahed-131, Geran-1, Waid-1, Shahed-136, Geran-2, and Waid-2 specifications and conflict-use context.

    Sources: CSIS Missile Threat Shahed-131 and -136

Designation And Identification Notes

The smaller Shahed family appears in public reporting under operator-specific names. The distinction is most useful when comparing recovered airframes, warhead size, and conflict attribution rather than treating every name as a separate design.

DesignationOperator contextMeaning
Shahed-131IranBaseline Iranian smaller one-way attack UAV with a delta-wing airframe, compact payload, and pre-programmed coordinate navigation.
Geran-1RussiaRussian designation for Shahed-131-family drones documented through recovered Ukraine material and U.S. intelligence comparison imagery.
Waid-1Houthi movementHouthi designation identified by CSIS and DIA as the smaller Shahed-131-equivalent UAV.
Shahed-136 / Geran-2 / Waid-2Iran, Russia, and Houthi movementLarger companion model with greater public range and payload figures.
Media

Shahed-131 Images

Shahed-131, Long-range one-way attack UAV, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: Shahed-131 Drawing
Shahed-131, Long-range one-way attack UAV, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2
Source: Recovered Shahed-131 Geran-1 Engine
Related Weapon Systems
Garpiya-3, Long-range one-way attack UAV / loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsGarpiya-3Long-range one-way attack UAV / loitering munitionGarpiya-3 is the reported G3 model in Russia's Garpiya family of long-range one-way attack UAVs tied to IEMZ Kupol and a China-based supplier network. Reuters reporting describes the G3 as developed and flight-tested in China, with approximately 2,000 km range and 50 kg payload figures. Official sanctions material and later reporting place it inside a broader Garpiya production chain supporting Russian strikes against Ukraine, while confirmed public evidence remains stronger for the family than for recovered G3 examples.
Bober, Long-range one-way attack UAV / loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsBoberLong-range one-way attack UAV / loitering munitionThe Bober, also known as the UJ-26 Beaver, is a Ukrainian long-range one-way attack UAV associated with deep-strike missions against Russian military infrastructure. Open sources describe it as a pusher-propeller, canard-layout loitering munition with roughly 800 to 1,000 km of reported range, an approximately 20 kg warhead, and later catapult-launched examples, giving Ukraine an indigenous strike option for targets far beyond the front line.

Sources

CSIS Missile Threat Shahed-131 and -136Publisher: CSIS Missile Threat | Note: Supports Shahed-131 specifications, aliases, manufacturer and designation background, Geran-1 and Waid-1 equivalence, and direct conflict-use context for Russia-Ukraine War 2014-present, Iranian-Kurdish Conflict 2004-present, Israel-Iran Conflict 2025-present, and United States-Iran Conflict 2020-present rows. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Shahed-131 & -136 UAVs: A Visual GuidePublisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports visual-identification context, role, guidance, warhead framing, and basic Shahed-131/Shahed-136 technical comparison. | Accessed: 2026-06-29DIA Iranian UAVs in Ukraine Visual ComparisonPublisher: Defense Intelligence Agency | Note: Russia-Ukraine War 2014-present: supports Geran-1/Shahed-131 identification, recovered-component context, launcher and engine imagery, and image provenance for recovered Shahed-131 material. | Accessed: 2026-06-29DIA Iran Enabling Houthi AttacksPublisher: Defense Intelligence Agency | Note: Supports Houthi Waid-1 designation context and the Shahed-131-equivalent family relationship used in variants and timeline notes. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Shahed-131 Retrieved by the US MilitaryPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports public-domain image provenance for the recovered Shahed-131 primary image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Shahed-131 DrawingPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the open-license five-view Shahed-131 / Geran-1 drawing in the gallery. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Recovered Shahed-131 Geran-1 EnginePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports public-domain image provenance for recovered Shahed-131 / Geran-1 engine imagery in the gallery. | Accessed: 2026-06-29