Unmanned aircraft: maximum possibilities. Unmanned aerial vehicles

Modern drones are not the same anymore. It was once upon a time that they could modestly observe what was happening. Today, these vehicles carry bombs on board and are capable of attacking with them.

Scientific and technological progress has already reached the point where it has begun to create combat drones. We’ll talk about the eight newest ones now.

New British classified UAV Taranis.

nEUROn

European ambitious project. It is planned that this UAV will be stealthy, with incredible striking power:

• weapons— capable of carrying 2 guided bombs weighing 230 kg each.

Its production is planned no earlier than 2030. Although, the prototype has already been built, and in 2012 it even took to the skies. Characteristics:

• take-off weight - 7000 kg;


• engine - Rolls-Royce Turbom Adour turbofan;


• maximum speed - 980 km/h.

Northrop Grumman X-47B

This is an attack UAV, the production of which was undertaken by Northrop Grumman. The development of the X-47B is part of the program navy USA. Goal: creation unmanned aircraft, capable of taking off from an aircraft carrier.

Northrop's first flight took place in 2011. The device is equipped with a Pratt & Whitney F100-220 turbofan engine. Weight - 20215 kg, flight range - 3890 km.

DRDO Rustom II

The developer is the Indian military-industrial corporation DRDO. Rustom II is an upgraded version of Rustom drones, designed for reconnaissance and combat strikes. These UAVs are capable of carrying up to 350 kg payload.

Pre-flight tests have already been completed, so the first flight may well take place even this year. Take-off weight - 1800 kg, equipped with 2 turboprop engines. Maximum speed— 225 km/h, flight range — 1000 km.

"Dozor-600"

On this moment“Dozor” has the status of a still promising reconnaissance and strike UAV. Developed by the Russian company Transas. Designed to conduct tactical reconnaissance in the front line or along the route. Capable of transmitting information in real time.

Characteristics:

• take-off weight - 720 kg;


• engine - petrol Rotax 914;


• maximum speed - 150 km/h;


• flight range - 3700 km.

Taranis

A British project, led by BAE Systems. At the moment, this is just a test platform for creating a highly maneuverable, stealthy attack drone for transcontinental operation. Basic technical data is classified. All we managed to find out is:

• date of first flight - 2013;


• take-off weight - 8000 kg;


• engine - turbofan Rolls-Royce Adour;


• maximum speed is subsonic.

Boeing Phantom Ray

Another demonstration platform of a promising UAV for reconnaissance purposes. The Phantom Ray is designed as a flying wing and is similar in size to a conventional fighter jet.

The project was created on the basis of the X-45S UAV and boasts its first flight (in 2011). Take-off weight - 16566 kg, engine - General Electric F404-GE-102D turbojet. Maximum speed is 988 km/h, flight range is 2114 km.

ADCOM United 40

Another reconnaissance and strike UAV. Developed and produced by ADCOM (UAE). First shown at the Dubai Air Show (November 2011). The baby's take-off weight is 1500 kg, equipped with 2 Rotax 914UL piston engines. Maximum speed is 220 km/h.

"Scat"

Another incredibly heavy reconnaissance and attack vehicle (weight - 20 tons), developed at the Russian MiG Design Bureau using stealth technology. Only a full-size mock-up was shown to the general public; it was demonstrated at the MAKS-2007 air show.

The project was canceled, but developments remained. They are planned to be used in promising Russian attack UAVs. Weapons include tactical surface-to-surface missiles and aerial bombs. The maximum speed of the monster is 850 km/h, flight range is 4000 km.

Conducting work on the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is considered one of the most promising courses in the development of current combat aviation. The use of drones or drones has already led to important changes in the tactics and strategy of military conflicts. Moreover, it is believed that in the very near future their importance will increase significantly. Some military experts believe that the positive shift in the development of drones is the most important achievement in the aircraft industry of the last decade.

However, drones are used not only for military purposes. Today they are actively involved in “ national economy" With their help, aerial photography, patrolling, geodetic surveys, monitoring of a wide variety of objects are carried out, and some even deliver purchases home. However, the most promising new drone developments today are for military purposes.

Many problems are solved with the help of UAVs. Mainly, this is intelligence activity. Most modern drones were created specifically for this purpose. IN last years More and more attack unmanned vehicles are appearing. Kamikaze drones can be identified as a separate category. UAVs can conduct electronic warfare, they can be radio signal repeaters, artillery spotters, and aerial targets.

First attempts to create aircrafts, uncontrollable by humans, were undertaken immediately with the advent of the first airplanes. However, their practical implementation occurred only in the 70s of the last century. After which a real “drone boom” began. Remotely controlled aircraft have not been realized for quite some time, but today they are produced in abundance.

As often happens, American companies occupy a leading position in the creation of drones. And this is not surprising, because funding from the American budget for the creation of drones was simply astronomical by our standards. So, during the 90s, three billion dollars were spent on similar projects, while in 2003 alone they spent more than one billion.

Nowadays, work is underway to create the latest drones with longer flight duration. The devices themselves must be heavier and solve problems in difficult environments. Drones are being developed designed to combat ballistic missiles, unmanned fighters, micro-drones capable of operating in large groups(swarms).

Work on the development of drones is underway in many countries around the world. More than one thousand companies are involved in this industry, but the most promising developments go straight to the military.

Drones: advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of unmanned aerial vehicles are:

• A significant reduction in size compared to conventional aircraft, leading to a reduction in cost and an increase in their survivability;
• The potential to create small UAVs that could perform a wide variety of tasks in combat areas;
• The ability to conduct reconnaissance and transmit information in real time;
• There are no restrictions on use in extremely difficult combat situations associated with the risk of their loss. During critical operations, multiple drones can easily be sacrificed;
• Reduction (by more than one order of magnitude) of flight operation in Peaceful time, which would be required by traditional aircraft, preparing the flight crew;
• Availability of high combat readiness and mobility;
• Potential for the creation of small, uncomplicated mobile drone systems for non-aviation forces.

The disadvantages of UAVs include:

• Insufficient flexibility of use compared to traditional aircraft;
• Difficulties in resolving issues with communication, landing, and rescue of vehicles;
• In terms of reliability, drones are still inferior to conventional aircraft;
• Limiting drone flights during peacetime.

A little history of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

The first remote-controlled aircraft was the Fairy Queen, built in 1933 in Great Britain. It was a target aircraft for fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft guns.

And the first production drone to participate in real war, there was a V-1 rocket. This German “miracle weapon” bombarded Great Britain. In total, up to 25,000 units of such equipment were produced. The V-1 had a pulse jet engine and an autopilot with route data.

After the war, they worked on unmanned reconnaissance systems in the USSR and the USA. Soviet drones were spy planes. With their help, aerial photography, electronic reconnaissance, and relay were carried out.

Israel has done a lot to develop drones. Since 1978 they have had their first drone, the IAI Scout. During the 1982 Lebanon War israeli army using drones, completely destroyed the Syrian air defense system. As a result, Syria lost almost 20 air defense batteries and almost 90 aircraft. This affected the attitude military science to the UAV.

The Americans used UAVs in Desert Storm and the Yugoslav campaign. In the 90s, they became leaders in the development of drones. So, since 2012, they had almost 8 thousand UAVs of a wide variety of modifications. These were mainly small army reconnaissance drones, but there were also attack UAVs.

The first of them in 2002 missile strike killed one of the heads of Al-Qaeda using a car. Since then, the use of UAVs to eliminate enemy military forces or their units has become commonplace.

Types of drones

Currently, there are a lot of drones, differing in size, appearance, flight range, and functionality. UAVs differ in their control methods and their autonomy.

They can be:

• Uncontrollable;
• Remote controlled;
• Automatic.

According to their sizes, drones are:

• Microdrones (up to 10 kg);
• Minidrones (up to 50 kg);
• Mididrons (up to 1 ton);
• Heavy drones (weighing more than a ton).

Microdrones can stay in the air for up to one hour, minidrones - from three to five hours, and middrones - up to fifteen hours. Heavy drones can stay in the air for more than twenty-four hours while making intercontinental flights.

Review of foreign unmanned aerial vehicles

The main trend in the development of modern drones is to reduce their size. One such example would be one of the Norwegian drones from Prox Dynamics. The helicopter drone has a length of 100 mm and a weight of 120 g, a range of up to one km, and a flight duration of up to 25 minutes. It has three video cameras.

These drones began to be produced commercially in 2012. Thus, the British military purchased 160 sets of PD-100 Black Hornet worth $31 million to conduct special operations in Afghanistan.

Microdrones are also being developed in the United States. They are working on a special program, Soldier Borne Sensors, aimed at developing and deploying reconnaissance drones with the potential to extract information for platoons or companies. There is information about plans by the American army leadership to provide individual drones to all soldiers.

Today, the RQ-11 Raven is considered the heaviest drone in the US Army. It has a mass of 1.7 kg, a wingspan of 1.5 m and a flight of up to 5 km. With an electric motor, the drone reaches speeds of up to 95 km/h and stays in flight for up to one hour.

It has a digital video camera with night vision. The launch is done manually, and no special platform is needed for landing. The devices can fly along specified routes in automatic mode, GPS signals can serve as landmarks for them, or they can be controlled by operators. These drones are in service with more than a dozen countries.

The US Army's heavy UAV is the RQ-7 Shadow, which conducts reconnaissance at the brigade level. It went into serial production in 2004 and has a two-fin tail with a pusher propeller and several modifications. These drones are equipped with conventional or infrared video cameras, radars, target illumination, laser rangefinders, and multispectral cameras. Guided five-kilogram bombs are suspended from the devices.

The RQ-5 Hunter is a mid-size half-ton drone developed jointly by the US and Israel. Its arsenal includes a television camera, a third-generation thermal imager, a laser rangefinder and other equipment. It is launched from a special platform using a rocket accelerator. Its flight zone is within a range of up to 270 km, within 12 hours. Some modifications of Hunters have pendants for small bombs.

The MQ-1 Predator is the most famous American UAV. This is a “reincarnation” of a reconnaissance drone into an attack drone, which has several modifications. The Predator conducts reconnaissance and carries out precision ground strikes. It has a maximum take-off weight of more than a ton, a radar station, several video cameras (including an IR system), other equipment and several modifications.

In 2001, a high-precision laser-guided Hellfire-C missile was created for it, which was used in Afghanistan the following year. The complex has four drones, a control station and a satellite communications terminal, and it costs more than four million dollars. The most advanced modification is the MQ-1C Gray Eagle with a larger wingspan and a more advanced engine.

The MQ-9 Reaper is the next American attack UAV, which has several modifications and has been known since 2007. It has a longer flight duration, controlled aerial bombs, and more advanced radio electronics. The MQ-9 Reaper performed admirably in the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns. Its advantage over the F-16 is its lower purchase and operating price, longer flight duration without risk to the life of the pilot.

1998 - the first flight of the American strategic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft RQ-4 Global Hawk. Currently, this is the largest UAV with a take-off weight of more than 14 tons, with a payload of 1.3 tons. It can stay in the airspace for 36 hours, while covering 22 thousand km. It is assumed that these drones will replace U-2S reconnaissance aircraft.

Review of Russian UAVs

What is available these days? Russian army, and what are the prospects for Russian UAVs in the near future?

"Bee-1T"- Soviet drone, first flew in 1990. He was a fire spotter for systems volley fire. It had a mass of 138 kg and a range of up to 60 km. He took off from a special installation with a rocket booster and landed by parachute. Used in Chechnya, but outdated.

"Dozor-85"- reconnaissance drone for the border service with a mass of 85 kg, flight time up to 8 hours. The Skat reconnaissance and attack UAV was a promising vehicle, but work has been suspended for now.

UAV "Forpost" is a licensed copy of the Israeli Searcher 2. It was developed back in the 90s. "Forpost" has a take-off weight of up to 400 kg, a flight range of up to 250 km, satellite navigation and television cameras.

In 2007, a reconnaissance drone was adopted "Tipchak", with a launch weight of 50 kg and a flight duration of up to two hours. It has a regular and infrared camera. "Dozor-600" is a multi-purpose device developed by Transas, which was presented at the MAKS-2009 exhibition. It is considered an analogue of the American Predator.

UAVs "Orlan-3M" and "Orlan-10". They were developed for reconnaissance, search and rescue operations, and target designation. Drones are extremely similar in their appearance. However, they differ slightly in their take-off weight and flight range. They take off using a catapult and land by parachute.

10 - Fire Scout/Sea Scout fromNorthrop Grumman Corporation

The RQ-8A Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle, built on the basis of the Schweizer Model 330SP light manned helicopter, is capable of conducting reconnaissance and tracking a target, remaining motionless in the air for more than 4 hours at a distance of almost 200 kilometers from the launch site. Take-off and landing are carried out vertically, and control of the device is carried out through a GPS navigation system, which allows the Fire Scout to operate autonomously and be controlled through a ground station that can control 3 UAVs simultaneously. An improved version, the Sea Scout, is capable of carrying precision surface-to-air missiles. An even more advanced model, the MQ-8, has been developed for the United States Army, which fully meets the criteria for combat automated system next generation. The United States plans to purchase up to 192 such devices for the army and navy.

9 - RQ-2B Pioneer

The time-tested RQ-2B Pioneer (produced by the joint American-Israeli venture Pioneer UAV) is in service Marine Corps, United States Navy and Army since 1986. Pioneer is capable of conducting reconnaissance and surveillance for 5 hours, day and night, acquiring a target for automatic tracking, providing support for naval fire and assessing destruction throughout the entire military operation. The device can take off both from a ship (using a rocket or catapult) and from a land runway. In both cases, landing is carried out using a special braking mechanism. Its length is more than 4 meters, its wingspan is 5 m. The high altitude ceiling reaches 4.5 km. The take-off weight of the device is 205 kg. In addition, the Pioneer can carry a 34-kilogram payload of either optical and infrared sensors or mine and chemical weapons detection equipment.

8 - Scan Eagle from Boeing

The 18kg Scan Eagle, based on Insitu's Insight UAV, can patrol a designated area for more than 15 hours at a speed of just under 100 km/h at an altitude of about 5 km. The device with a payload of up to 5.9 kg can be launched from any terrain, including from ships. The Scan Eagle, which has a 10-foot wingspan, is invisible to enemy radar and barely audible more than 50 feet away, the U.S. Marine Corps says. The device is controlled via GPS, and the maximum speed reaches 130 km/h. The universal gimbaled turret mounted in the nose is equipped with either an optical camera with a storage device or an infrared sensor.

7 - Global HawkfromNorthrop Grumman

The world's largest unmanned aerial vehicle, the RQ-4 Global Hawk, became the first UAV certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration, allowing the Global Hawk to fly custom flight plans and use civil air corridors in the United States without prior notice. Probably thanks to this development, the development of unmanned civil aviation will speed up significantly. RQ-4 successfully flew from the USA to Australia, completing a reconnaissance mission along the way, and returned back via Pacific Ocean. As you can see, the flight distance of this UAV is impressive. The price of one Global Hawk, including development costs, is $123 million. The device is capable of climbing to a height of 20 km and from there conducting reconnaissance and surveillance, providing command with high-quality images in almost real time.

6 - MQ-9 Reaperfrom General Atomics

An MQ class unmanned aerial vehicle was developed especially for the US Air Force, where “M” means multifunctionality and “Q” means autonomy. The Reaper was based on General Atomics' early and highly successful Predator design. By the way, at first Reaper was called “Predator B”. The US Air Force uses this device in Afghanistan and Iraq primarily for search and strike operations. The MQ-9 Reaper is capable of carrying AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and laser-guided bombs. The maximum take-off weight of the device is 5 tons. At an altitude of up to 15 km, the speed reaches 370 km/h. The maximum flight range is 6000 km. As a payload of 1.7 t can be modern complex video and infrared sensors, a radiometer (combined with a radar with synthesized equipment), a laser range finder and target designator. The MQ-9 can be disassembled and loaded into a container for delivery to any US air base. Each Reaper system, which includes 4 devices equipped with sensors, costs $53.5 million.

5 - AeroVironment RavenAndRaven B

The RQ-11A Raven, developed in 2002-2003, is primarily a half-size version of the 1999 AeroVironment Pointer, but thanks to more advanced technical equipment, the device now carries control equipment, payload and the same GPS navigation system module. Made from Kevlar, each 1.8-kilogram Raven costs about $25,000 to $35,000. The operating distance of the RQ-11A is 9.5 km. The device can remain in the air for 80 minutes after takeoff at a cruising speed of 45-95 km/h. The Raven B version weighs a little more, but has higher performance characteristics, more advanced sensors and is capable of carrying a laser designator. However, Raven and Raven B are often broken into pieces when landing, but after repair they are ready for “battle” again.

4 - Bombardier CL-327

If you look at the Bombardier CL-327 VTOL, it becomes clear why it is often called the “flying nut”, however, despite such a funny nickname, the CL-327 is an extremely capable UAV. It is equipped with a WTS-125 turboshaft engine with a shaft power of 100 hp. CL-327, Weight Limit which weighs 350 kg at takeoff, can conduct terrain surveys, patrol borders, and also be used as a repeater and take part in military intelligence missions and counter-drug operations. The device can remain motionless in the air for almost 5 hours at a distance of more than 100 km from the launch site. The payload is 100 kg and the altitude ceiling is 5.5 km. There may be various sensors and data transmission systems on board. The device is controlled using GPS or an inertial navigation system.

3 - Yamaha RMAX

The Yamaha RMAX mini-helicopter, almost the most common civilian UAV (about 2000 units), is capable of performing a variety of tasks, from irrigating fields to research missions. The device is equipped with a Yamaha two-stroke piston engine, but the height ceiling is software limited and reaches only 140-150 m. As a payload, the RMAX can carry both conventional and video cameras for research, but it has really gained great popularity among farmers for its effective spraying of substances for pest control in rice and other plantations in Japan. In addition, RMAX performed well in April 2000, allowing us to closely examine the eruption of Mount Usu on the island. Hokkaido. This operation was also the first experience of autonomous remote control of a helicopter beyond visual range.

2 - Desert HawkfromLockheed Martin

Desert Hawk, originally developed in accordance with the requirements of the US Air Force for the protection and control of air objects, entered production in 2002. The device is made of reliable material, polypropylene foam. The pushing propeller is driven by an electric motor. The Desert Hawk is launched by two people using a shock-absorbing 100-meter cable, which is attached to the device and then simply released. The normal altitude for this UAV is 150 m, but, meanwhile, the maximum ceiling reaches 300 m. Controlling the aircraft through the GPS system and programmed waypoints, the military actively uses Desert Hawk in Iraq to patrol specified areas. The route can be adjusted during the flight using a ground control station that can control 6 UAVs simultaneously. The Desert Hawk's cruising speed is 90 km/h and its operating range is 11 km.

1 - MQ-1 Predator from General Atomics

A medium-altitude UAV with a long flight duration to isolate a combat area and has the ability to conduct combat reconnaissance. The Predator's cruising speed is approximately 135 km/h. The flight distance reaches more than 720 km, and the altitude ceiling is 7.6 km. The MQ-1 can carry two AGM-114 Hellfire laser missiles. In Afghanistan, he became the first UAV in history to destroy enemy military forces. The complete Predator system includes 4 aircraft equipped with sensors, a ground control station, a primary satellite data link and approximately 55 personnel for 24-hour maintenance. The 115-horsepower Rotax 914F piston engine allows you to accelerate to 220 km/h. The MQ-1 can take off from hard runways ranging in size from 1500x20 m. In order to take off, the device must be in sight, although satellite control provides over-the-horizon communication.

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Recorded by N. Gelmiza

After articles about the work of the Sukhoi Design Bureau were published in the magazine (see Science and Life No. 9, 2001 and No. 1, 2, 4, 2002), letters came to the editor asking: Does the company have a civil theme? They answered us: yes! Civil aircraft of Sukhoi Design Bureau OJSC are the well-known projects Su-80, S-21 and a family of regional passenger aircraft. Today, design bureau designers are creating an unmanned aerial vehicle for civilian use with unique flight characteristics that allow it to be used to solve a wide range of problems in the field of science, economics and the business sector. Deputy Chief Designer, Doctor of Technical Sciences, full member of the Academy of Military Sciences A. Kh. Karimov talks about the new direction - unmanned aviation.

STARTING POINT

Deputy Chief Designer of the Sukhoi Design Bureau Altaf Khusnimarzanovich Karimov.

Specifications unmanned aviation systems with high altitude and flight duration.

American maxi-class unmanned aircraft "Global Hawk": flight altitude - 20 km, weight - 11.5 tons, flight duration - more than 24 hours.

Multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle "Proteus" made in the USA: flight altitude - 15 km, weight - 5.6 tons.

Global market needs for unmanned aircraft systems with high altitude and flight duration. The procurement forecast for 2005-2015 totals $30 billion.

An unmanned aerial vehicle with a high altitude and flight duration is the long-awaited brainchild of the Sukhoi Design Bureau. The designers have included in the new aircraft such flight performance characteristics that, in our opinion, will allow it to surpass the best in its class in many respects american planes and find wide application in the civil sector.

“UAVs” vary in weight (from devices weighing half a kilogram, comparable to a model aircraft, to 10-15-ton giants), altitude and flight duration. Unmanned aerial vehicles weighing up to 5 kg (micro class) can take off from any small platform and even from hand, rise to a height of 1-2 kilometers and stay in the air for no more than an hour. They are used as reconnaissance aircraft, for example, to detect military equipment and terrorists in the forest or mountains. Micro-class "drones" weighing only 300-500 grams, figuratively speaking, can look out the window, so they are convenient to use in urban environments.

Next to “micro” are “mini” class unmanned aerial vehicles weighing up to 150 kg. They operate at an altitude of up to 3-5 km, the flight duration is 3-5 hours. The next class is "midi". These are heavier multi-purpose devices weighing from 200 to 1000 kg. The flight altitude reaches 5-6 km, duration - 10-20 hours.

And finally, “maxi” - devices weighing from 1000 kg to 8-10 tons. Their ceiling is 20 km, flight duration is more than 24 hours. Supermaxi class cars will probably appear soon. It can be assumed that their weight will exceed 15 tons. Such “heavy trucks” will carry a huge amount of equipment for various purposes on board and will be able to perform a wide range of tasks.

If we recall the history of unmanned aerial vehicles, they first appeared in the mid-1930s. These were remote-controlled aerial targets used in target practice. After World War II, more precisely, already in the 1950s, aircraft designers created unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. It took another 20 years to develop impact vehicles. In the 1970s - 1980s, the design bureaus of P. O. Sukhoi, A. N. Tupolev, V. M. Myasishchev, A. S. Yakovlev, N. I. Kamov dealt with this topic. From the Tupolev Design Bureau came the unmanned reconnaissance aircraft "Yastreb", "Strizh" and the "Reis", which is still in service today, as well as the attack "Korshun" (they began to make it at the Sukhoi Design Bureau, but then transferred to Tupolev), created jointly with the Kulon Research Institute ". The Yakovlev Design Bureau was quite successful in developing unmanned aircraft, where they developed “mini”-class aircraft. The most successful of them was the Bee complex, which is still in service.

In the 1970s, research work was launched in Russia to create unmanned aircraft with high altitude and flight duration. They were dealt with by the Design Bureau of V. M. Myasishchev, where they developed the maxi-class Orel vehicle. Then it came only to the layout, but almost 10 years later the work was resumed. It was assumed that the upgraded device would be able to fly at an altitude of up to 20 km and stay in the air for 24 hours. But then the reform crisis came, and in the early 1990s the Eagle program was closed due to lack of funding. Around the same time and for the same reasons, work on the Rhombus unmanned aerial vehicle was curtailed. This aircraft, unique in its design, created jointly with the "NII DAR" with the participation of the developer of the "Resonance" radar system, Chief Designer E.I. Shustov, was a split biplane of four wings, arranged in the shape of a rhombus, into which large-sized antennas were mounted, serving radar station. Its mass was about 12 tons, and the payload reached 1.5 tons.

After the first wave of “drone” development in the 1970s and 1980s, there was a long lull. The army was equipped with expensive manned aircraft. Large funds were allocated for them. This determined the choice of development topics. True, all these years the Kazan experimental design bureau "Sokol" has been actively working on "drones". It was created on the basis of the Sports Aviation Design Bureau under the leadership of the then young specialist, now the general designer of the Sukhoi Design Bureau M.P. Simonov. OKB Sokol has essentially become a specialized enterprise for the production of unmanned aircraft systems. The main direction is unmanned aerial targets, on which fighting various military complexes and ground services, including air defense systems.

Today, mini- and midi-class unmanned aerial vehicles are represented quite widely. Many countries can produce them, since small laboratories or institutes can cope with this task. As for maxi-class aircraft, their creation requires the resources of an entire aircraft manufacturing complex.

ALL ARGUMENTS - "FOR"

What are the advantages of unmanned aerial vehicles? Firstly, they are on average an order of magnitude cheaper than manned aircraft, which need to be equipped with life support, protection, air conditioning systems... Finally, we need to train pilots, and this costs big money. As a result, it turns out that the absence of a crew on board significantly reduces the costs of completing a particular task.

Secondly, lightweight (compared to manned aircraft) unmanned aerial vehicles consume less fuel. It seems that a more realistic prospect is opening up for them with a possible transition to cryogenic fuel (see "Science and Life" No. 3, 2001 - Note ed.).

Third, unlike manned aircraft, unmanned aircraft do not require concrete-surfaced airfields. It is enough to build a dirt runway just 600 meters long. (“UAVs” take off with the help of a catapult and land “like an airplane,” like fighters on aircraft carriers.) This is a very serious argument, since 70% of our 140 airfields need reconstruction, and the rate of repair today is one airfield per year.

The main criterion for choosing the type of aircraft is cost. Thanks to the rapid development of computer technology, the price of the “filling” - the on-board computers of drones - has dropped significantly. The first devices used heavy and bulky analog computers. With the introduction of modern digital technology, their “brains” have become not only cheaper, but also smarter, more compact and lighter. This means that more equipment can be taken on board, and the functionality of unmanned aircraft depends on it.

If we talk about the military aspect, then unmanned aerial vehicles are used where a pilot can be dispensed with in a reconnaissance operation or air combat. At the IX international conference on “drones”, held in France in 2001, the idea was voiced that in 2010-2015 combat operations will come down to a war of automated systems, that is, to a confrontation between robots.

THE CHOICE IS MADE

Five years ago, specialists from the Sukhoi Design Bureau analyzed the development of scientific and technical programs existing in the world to create “drones” and discovered a persistent tendency to increase their size and weight, as well as altitude and flight duration. Devices with greater weight can stay in the air longer, rise higher and “see” further. "Maxi" carry on board more than 500 kg of payload, which allows them to solve large-volume tasks with the best quality.

The analysis showed that unmanned aircraft of the "maxi" and "supermaxi" classes are in demand today more than ever. Apparently, they can change the balance of power in the global aircraft market. So far, this niche has been developed only by American designers, who began working on “maxi”-class “drones” 10 years before us and managed to create several very good aircraft. The most popular of them is the Global Hawk: it rises to a height of up to 20 km, weighs 11.5 tons, and has a cruising flight duration of more than 24 hours. The designers of this machine abandoned piston engines and equipped it with two turbojet engines. It was after the Global Hawk was shown at the Le Bourget air show in 2001 that the struggle to capture a new sector of the market began in the West.

We plan to create an analogue of the Global Hawk, but our device will be slightly smaller. The choice of this dimension is based on a thorough study of demand.

Even during the creation of the first unmanned maxi-class aircraft "Eagle" and "Rhomb", we developed a concept according to which we began to build unmanned vehicles, providing best conditions to accommodate the payload. On the Rhombus, for example, we were able to combine large antenna units measuring 15-20 m with aircraft elements. The result was a “flying antenna”. Today we are creating, in essence, a flying platform for surveillance equipment. By connecting the payload with on-board systems, you can get a full-fledged integrated complex, maximally equipped with radio-electronic equipment. It will be high quality the new kind aviation technology- a stratospheric platform for solving tasks that are either beyond the capabilities of low- and medium-altitude manned and unmanned vehicles, or require unreasonably high costs when performed by satellite constellations.

Our unmanned aerial vehicle S-62 is a machine weighing 8.5 tons, capable of rising to a height of 18-20 km/h, reaching a speed of 400-500 km/h, and staying in the air for more than 24 hours without refueling. Its dimensions: length - 14.4 m, height - 3 m, wingspan - 50 m, payload - 800-1200 kg. In terms of aerodynamic characteristics, the layout of the S-62 brings the device closer to a glider. The aircraft is made according to the aerodynamic design of a two-beam "canard" and has a high aspect ratio wing. A vertical tail is located on the center section of the wing. The power plant is located above the center section in a twin engine nacelle. The S-62 is powered by two RD-1700 turbofan engines, used on the Yak-130 and MiG-AT aircraft (although other engine options are being developed). This machine will be light and radio-transparent, most likely made of fiberglass.

S-62 will be part of the BAK-62 unmanned aerial systems designed to carry out wide range civil tasks. Each such complex includes from one to three “drones”, ground stations for monitoring and control, communications and information processing, as well as a mobile maintenance station. Ground control stations will operate within radio visibility - at a distance of up to 600 km. Their purpose is to control takeoff and landing, as well as solve the problems of automatic piloting and executing the flight program. The BAK-62 is highly mobile; it can be easily relocated to a new location in standard cargo containers by any type of transport, quickly deployed and brought into working condition.

Ground control points, as well as maintenance points, are also a concern for designers. They must create conditions for comfortable living for specialists and service personnel both in the cold north and in the hot south (temperature range can range from -50 to +50 o C).

RANGE OF TASKS OF "DRONES" FOR CIVIL PURPOSE

The whole world has already realized the benefits and savings that unmanned aerial vehicles can bring not only in the military, but also in the civilian sphere. Their capabilities largely depend on such a parameter as flight altitude. By creating the S-62, we will raise the ceiling from 6 to 20 km, and in the future to 30 km. At this altitude, an unmanned aircraft can compete with a satellite. By monitoring everything that happens over an area of ​​about a million square kilometers, it itself becomes a kind of “aerodynamic satellite.” S-62 can take over the functions of a satellite constellation and perform them in real time within an entire region.

To take photographs and films from space or observe any object, you need 24 satellites, but even then information from them will arrive once an hour. The fact is that the satellite is above the object of observation for only 15-20 minutes, and then leaves its visibility zone and returns to the same place, having completed a revolution around the Earth. During this time, the object leaves given point, since the Earth rotates, and again ends up in it only after 24 hours. Unlike a satellite, an unmanned aircraft constantly accompanies the observation point. Having worked at an altitude of about 20 km for more than 24 hours, he returns to base, and another one takes his place in the sky. Another car is in reserve. This is a huge saving. Judge for yourself: one satellite costs about 100 million dollars, 24 satellites are already 2.4 billion, and the cost of three S-62 unmanned aerial vehicles with ground infrastructure will be a little over 30 million dollars.

Unmanned aircraft can compete with satellites in the creation of telecommunications networks and navigation systems. For example, in order for Russia to have its own GPS-type navigation system, it is necessary to use about 150 such machines. Expensive satellites are useful for other purposes. This is very important because 70% of them are on the verge of exhausting their resource.

“UAVs” can be entrusted with continuous round-the-clock surveillance of the Earth’s surface in a wide range of frequencies. Using the S-62, we will be able to create the country’s information field, covering the control and management of air and water transport, since these machines are able to take on the functions of ground, air and satellite locators (the combined information from them gives a complete picture of what is being done in sky, water and land).

Unmanned aerial vehicles will help solve a whole range of scientific and applied problems related to geology, ecology, meteorology, zoology, agriculture, with the study of climate, the search for minerals... S-62 will monitor the migration of birds, mammals, schools of fish, changes in weather conditions and ice conditions on rivers, the movement of ships, the movement of vehicles and people, conduct aerial, photo and filming , radar and radiation reconnaissance, multispectral surface monitoring, penetrating up to 100 meters.

ON THE WAY TO THE MARKET

Worldwide recognition came to Sukhoi Design Bureau with the release of the Su-27 fighter. This machine truly deserves the highest praise because it implements outstanding scientific and engineering ideas. The colossal success and demand for the Su-27 on the world market is largely due to the fact that its creation has become a national scientific and technical program. Started three years ago new topic- the creation of a high-altitude unmanned aircraft also requires serious government support. In order, as they say, not to be late and to enter the world market at a time when the new car will be in demand, the timing of the program must be very strict. We believe that the work can be completed in 2005, subject to the necessary funding.

The experience of foreign competitors suggests: to make things go faster, you need to show customers and investors a working model. There is only one way out - to make a demonstrator or a flying model, which will confirm the reality of the plans and speed up their implementation. Such a device can be built in just two years. There are no unsolvable problems here, there are only a number of specific tasks that must be completed. All preliminary work has been done.

According to Russian and foreign experts, the market for commercial services provided by unmanned aerial vehicles will expand significantly in the near future. The need for such machines in 2005-2015 may amount to at least $30 billion in monetary terms. And if Russia, as planned, by 2005 creates a competitive civil unmanned aerial vehicle S-62 with a high altitude and flight duration, it will get approximately a quarter of this market. Then we will be able to earn about a billion dollars from the sale of our cars. It is not surprising that today many countries are very actively promoting their technical developments, including drones. We should hurry up too.

Areas of application of the civil unmanned aircraft S-62

DETECTION OF SMALL OBJECTS:

• air
• surface
• ground

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL:

• in hard-to-reach areas
• at natural disasters and accidents
• on temporary air routes
in national aviation

MARINE SHIPPING CONTROL:

• search and detection of vessels
• prevention of emergency situations in ports
• maritime border control
• control of fishing regulations

DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL AND INTERREGIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORKS:

• communication systems, including mobile
• television and radio broadcasting
• retransmission
• navigation systems

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND CONTROL OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE:

• aerial photography (cartography)
• contractual compliance inspection
• (open sky mode)
• control of hydro- and meteorological conditions
• monitoring of actively emitting objects monitoring of power lines

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL:

• radiation control
• gas chemical control
• monitoring the condition of gas and oil pipelines
• polling of seismic sensors

ENSURING AGRICULTURAL WORK AND GEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION:

• determination of soil characteristics
• mineral exploration
• subsurface (up to 100 m) sounding of the Earth

OCEANOLOGY:

• ice reconnaissance
• monitoring sea waves
• searching for schools of fish

In Hollywood science fiction films Quite often one can see the image of an unmanned aerial attack vehicle. So, currently The USA is the world leader in the construction and design of drones. And they do not stop there, increasingly increasing the fleet of UAVs in the armed forces.

Having gained experience from the first and second Iraqi campaigns and the Afghan campaign, the Pentagon continues to develop unmanned systems. Purchases of UAVs will be increased, and criteria for new devices will be created. UAVs first occupied the niche of light reconnaissance aircraft, but already in the 2000s it became clear that they were also promising as attack aircraft - they were used in Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Drones have become full-fledged strike units.

MQ-9 Reaper "Reaper"

The Pentagon's latest purchase was order of 24 attack UAVs of the MQ-9 Reaper type. This contract will almost double the number of such drones in the military (at the beginning of 2009, the US had 28 of these drones). Gradually, the “Reapers” (according to Anglo-Saxon mythology, the image of death) should replace the older “Predators” MQ-1 Predator; there are approximately 200 of them in service.

The MQ-9 Reaper UAV first flew in February 2001. The device was created in 2 versions: turboprop and turbojet, but the US Air Force became interested new technology, pointed out the need for uniformity by refusing to purchase the jet version. In addition, despite its high aerobatic qualities (for example, a practical ceiling of up to 19 kilometers), it could be in the air for no more than 18 hours, which did not satisfy the Air Force. The turboprop model went into production with a 910-horsepower TPE-331 engine, the brainchild of Garrett AiResearch.

Basic performance characteristics of the Reaper:

— Weight: 2223 kg (empty) and 4760 kg (maximum);
— Maximum speed — 482 km/h and cruising speed — about 300 km/h;
— Maximum flight range – 5800…5900 km;
— With a full load, the UAV will perform its work for about 14 hours. In total, the MQ-9 is capable of staying in the air for up to 28-30 hours;
— The practical ceiling is up to 15 kilometers, and the working altitude level is 7.5 km;

Reaper weapons: has 6 hardpoints, a total payload of up to 3800 pounds, so instead of 2 AGM-114 Hellfire guided missiles on the Predator, its more advanced brother can take up to 14 missiles.
The second option for equipping the Reaper is a combination of 4 Hellfires and 2 five-hundred-pound GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs.
The 500-pound caliber also allows the use of GPS-guided JDAM weapons, such as the GBU-38 ammunition. Air-to-air weapons are represented by the AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and, more recently, the AIM-92 Stinger, a modification of the well-known MANPADS missile, adapted for air launch.

avionics: AN/APY-8 Lynx II synthetic aperture radar capable of operating in mapping mode - in the nose cone. At low speeds (up to 70 knots), the radar can scan the surface with a resolution of one meter, scanning 25 square kilometers per minute. At high speeds (about 250 knots) – up to 60 square kilometers.

In search modes, the radar, in the so-called SPOT mode, provides instant “snapshots” of local areas from a distance of up to 40 kilometers earth's surface measuring 300x170 meters, the resolution reaches 10 centimeters. Combined electro-optical and thermal imaging sighting station MTS-B - on a spherical suspension under the fuselage. Includes a laser rangefinder/target designator capable of targeting the full range of US and NATO semi-active laser-guided munitions.

In 2007, the first attack squadron of “Reapers” was formed, they entered service with the 42nd Attack Squadron, which is located at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada. In 2008, they were armed with the 174th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard. NASA, the Ministry of national security, at the Border Guard Service.
The system was not put up for sale. Of the allies, Australia and England bought the Reapers. Germany abandoned this system in favor of its own and Israeli developments.

Prospects

The next generation of medium-sized UAVs under the MQ-X and MQ-M programs should be operational by 2020. The military wants to simultaneously expand combat capabilities attack UAV and integrate it as much as possible into the overall combat system.

Main goals:

“They plan to create a basic platform that can be used in all theaters of military operations, which will greatly increase the functionality of the unmanned air force group in the region, as well as increase the speed and flexibility of response to emerging threats.

— Increasing the autonomy of the device and increasing the ability to perform tasks in complex weather conditions. Automatic take-off and landing, entering the combat patrol area.

— Interception of air targets, direct support ground forces, the use of a drone as an integrated reconnaissance complex, a set of electronic warfare tasks and the task of providing communications and illumination of the situation in the form of deployment of an information gateway on the basis of an aircraft.

— Suppression of the enemy’s air defense system.

— By 2030, they plan to create a model of a refueling drone, a kind of unmanned tanker capable of supplying fuel to other aircraft - this will dramatically increase the duration of their stay in the air.

— There are plans to create modifications of UAVs that will be used in search and rescue and evacuation missions related to the air transportation of people.

— Into the concept combat use The UAV is planned to lay down the architecture of the so-called “swarm” (SWARM), which will allow for the joint combat use of groups of unmanned aircraft for the exchange of intelligence information and strike operations.

— As a result, UAVs should “grow” into such tasks as inclusion in the country’s air defense and missile defense system and even delivering strategic strikes. This dates back to the mid-21st century.

Fleet

In early February 2011, a jet took off from Edwards Air Force Base (California). UAV X-47V. The development of drones for the Navy began in 2001. Sea trials should begin in 2013.

Basic requirements of the Navy:
— deck-based, including landing without violating the stealth regime;
— two full-fledged compartments for installing weapons, the total weight of which, according to some reports, can reach two tons;
— in-flight refueling system.

The United States is developing a list of requirements for the 6th generation fighter:

— Equipping with next-generation on-board information and control systems, stealth technologies.

— Hypersonic speed, that is, speeds above Mach 5-6.

— Possibility of unmanned control.

— The electronic element base of the aircraft’s on-board complexes must give way to an optical one, built on photonics technologies, with a complete transition to fiber-optic communication lines.

Thus, the United States confidently maintains its position in the development, deployment and accumulation of experience in the combat use of UAVs. Participation in a number of local wars allowed armed forces The United States maintains personnel in combat-ready condition, improves equipment and technology, combat use and control schemes.

The Armed Forces gained unique combat experience and the opportunity in practice to reveal and correct design flaws without major risks. UAVs are becoming part of a unified combat system—waging “network-centric warfare.”