A Moldovan villager stripped the engine out of a 'deadly' drone he found on farmland after mistaking the military device for a model aeroplane.

The incident took place between the communes of Pepeni and Copaceni in the Singerei district of the Republic of Moldova, with authorities confirming on December 3 that the aircraft was a Russian-used Gerbera decoy drone.

Local officials said the device had been found in a field, with the mayor stating that 'a citizen thought it was a toy, put it in the trailer of a motor cultivator, and brought it to Pepeni'.

Police were alerted when the mayor spotted the improvised 'transport' and called 112, the national emergency number.

Officials later confirmed that two men had dismantled the device on Saturday, November 29, removing its motor and other components, which officers said were subsequently located at the home of one of the men.

Authorities added that all parts examined so far contained no explosives and the object did not pose a public safety risk.

Officials identified the aircraft as a Gerbera-type unmanned aerial vehicle used as a decoy platform during Russian attacks, capable of being deployed as an improvised strike device or for reconnaissance, including locating air-defence systems and monitoring strike impacts.

Specialists from the Police Technical-Explosive Section will examine the dismantled drone and its parts to determine its full characteristics and any possible associated risks.

Police also reiterated guidance for residents, urging people not to touch or transport fallen drones or similar objects and to notify emergency services immediately.

Prosecutors will open an investigation into how the drone ended up in the area, following recent confirmed drone incursions over Moldovan territory, including a device marked with a 'Z' that fell on a house roof in Cuhurestii de Jos, Floresti district, prompting evacuations and perimeter security by police.