Russian unmanned aerial vehicles for military purposes. Unmanned aerial vehicles

Just 20 years ago, Russia was one of the world leaders in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles. aircraft. Only 950 Tu-143 aerial reconnaissance aircraft were produced in the 80s of the last century. The famous reusable spacecraft Buran was created, which made its first and only flight in completely unmanned mode. I don’t see any point in somehow giving up on the development and use of drones now.

Background of Russian drones (Tu-141, Tu-143, Tu-243). In the mid-sixties, the Tupolev Design Bureau began creating new unmanned reconnaissance systems for tactical and operational purposes. On August 30, 1968, Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR N 670-241 was issued on the development of a new unmanned tactical reconnaissance complex "Reis" (VR-3) and its included unmanned reconnaissance aircraft "143" (Tu-143). The deadline for presenting the complex for testing was specified in the Resolution: for the version with photo reconnaissance equipment - 1970, for the version with equipment for television reconnaissance and for the version with equipment for radiation reconnaissance - 1972.

The Tu-143 reconnaissance UAV was mass-produced in two variants with a replaceable nose part: a photo reconnaissance version with recording information on board, and a television reconnaissance version with the transmission of information via radio to ground command posts. In addition, the reconnaissance aircraft could be equipped with radiation reconnaissance equipment with the transmission of materials about the radiation situation along the flight route to the ground via a radio channel. UAV Tu-143 presented at an exhibition of samples aviation technology at the Central Airfield in Moscow and at the Museum in Monino (you can also see the Tu-141 UAV there).

As part of the aerospace show in Zhukovsky MAKS-2007 near Moscow, in the closed part of the exhibition, the MiG aircraft manufacturing corporation showed its attack unmanned system "Scat" - an aircraft designed according to the "flying wing" design and outwardly very reminiscent of the American B-2 Spirit bomber or its a smaller version is the X-47B maritime unmanned aerial vehicle.

"Scat" is designed to strike both pre-reconnaissance stationary targets, primarily air defense systems, in conditions of strong opposition from enemy anti-aircraft weapons, and mobile ground and sea targets when conducting autonomous and group actions, joint with manned aircraft.

Its maximum take-off weight should be 10 tons. Flight range - 4 thousand kilometers. Flight speed near the ground is at least 800 km/h. It will be able to carry two air-to-surface/air-to-radar missiles or two adjustable aerial bombs with a total mass of no more than 1 ton.

The aircraft is designed according to the flying wing design. In addition, well-known techniques for reducing radar signature were clearly visible in the design. Thus, the wingtips are parallel to its leading edge and the contours of the rear part of the device are made in exactly the same way. The Skat had a fuselage above the middle part of the wing characteristic shape, smoothly coupled with load-bearing surfaces. Vertical tail was not provided. As can be seen from the photographs of the Skat model, control was to be carried out using four elevons located on the consoles and on the center section. At the same time, certain questions were immediately raised by the yaw controllability: due to the absence of a rudder and a single-engine design, the UAV needed to somehow solve this problem. There is a version about a single deflection of the internal elevons for yaw control.

The model presented at the MAKS-2007 exhibition had the following dimensions: a wingspan of 11.5 meters, a length of 10.25 and a parking height of 2.7 m. Regarding the mass of the Skat, all that is known is that its maximum take-off weight should have been approximately equal to ten tons. With such parameters, the Skat had good calculated flight data. At a maximum speed of up to 800 km/h, it could rise to a height of up to 12 thousand meters and cover up to 4000 kilometers in flight. Such flight performance was planned to be achieved using a two-circuit turbojet engine RD-5000B with a thrust of 5040 kgf. This turbojet engine was created on the basis of the RD-93 engine, but was initially equipped with a special flat nozzle, which reduces the visibility of the aircraft in the infrared range. The engine air intake was located in the forward part of the fuselage and was an unregulated intake device.

Inside the characteristically shaped fuselage, the Skat had two cargo compartments measuring 4.4 x 0.75 x 0.65 meters. With such dimensions, it was possible to suspend guided missiles in the cargo compartments various types, as well as adjustable bombs. The total mass of the Stingray's combat load should have been approximately two tons. During the presentation at the MAKS-2007 salon, next to the Skat there were Kh-31 missiles and KAB-500 adjustable bombs. The composition of the on-board equipment implied by the project was not disclosed. Based on information about other projects of this class, we can draw conclusions about the presence of a complex of navigation and sighting equipment, as well as some capabilities for autonomous actions.

The Dozor-600 UAV (developed by Transas designers), also known as Dozor-3, is much lighter than the Skat or Proryv. Its maximum take-off weight does not exceed 710-720 kilograms. Moreover, due to the classic aerodynamic layout with a full fuselage and a straight wing, it has approximately the same dimensions as the Skat: a wingspan of twelve meters and a total length of seven. In the bow of the Dozor-600 there is space for target equipment, and in the middle there is a stabilized platform for observation equipment. A propeller group is located in the tail section of the drone. It is based on a Rotax 914 piston engine, similar to those installed on the Israeli IAI Heron UAV and the American MQ-1B Predator.

The 115 horsepower engine allows the Dozor-600 drone to accelerate to a speed of about 210-215 km/h or make long flights at a cruising speed of 120-150 km/h. When using additional fuel tanks, this UAV is capable of staying in the air for up to 24 hours. Thus, the practical flight range is approaching 3,700 kilometers.

Based on the characteristics of the Dozor-600 UAV, we can draw conclusions about its purpose. The relatively small take-off weight does not allow it to transport any serious weapons, which limits the range of tasks it can perform exclusively to reconnaissance. However, a number of sources mention the possibility of installation on Dozor-600 various weapons, total weight which does not exceed 120-150 kilograms. Because of this, the range of weapons permissible for use is limited only to certain types of guided missiles, in particular anti-tank missiles. It is noteworthy that when using anti-tank guided missiles, the Dozor-600 becomes largely similar to the American MQ-1B Predator, both in technical characteristics and in the composition of its weapons.

Heavy attack unmanned aerial vehicle project. The development of the research topic “Hunter” to study the possibility of creating an attack UAV weighing up to 20 tons in the interests of the Russian Air Force was or is being carried out by the Sukhoi company (JSC Sukhoi Design Bureau). For the first time, the plans of the Ministry of Defense to adopt an attack UAV were announced at the MAKS-2009 air show in August 2009. According to a statement by Mikhail Pogosyan in August 2009, the design of a new attack unmanned aerial system was to be the first working together relevant units of the Sukhoi and MiG Design Bureaus (Skat project). The media reported the conclusion of a contract for the implementation of the Okhotnik research work with the Sukhoi company on July 12, 2011. In August 2011, the merger of the relevant divisions of RSK MiG and Sukhoi to develop a promising strike UAV was confirmed in the media, but the official agreement between MiG " and "Sukhoi" were signed only on October 25, 2012.

The terms of reference for the attack UAV were approved by the Russian Ministry of Defense on the first of April 2012. On July 6, 2012, information appeared in the media that the Sukhoi company had been selected by the Russian Air Force as the lead developer. An unnamed industry source also reports that the strike UAV developed by Sukhoi will simultaneously be a sixth-generation fighter. As of mid-2012, it is expected that the first sample of the strike UAV will begin testing no earlier than 2016. It is expected to enter service by 2020. In 2012, JSC VNIIRA carried out a selection of patent materials on the topic of R&D “Hunter”, and in In the future, it was planned to create navigation systems for landing and taxiing heavy UAVs on the instructions of Sukhoi Company OJSC (source).

Media reports that the first sample of a heavy attack UAV named after the Sukhoi Design Bureau will be ready in 2018.

Combat use (otherwise they will say exhibition copies are Soviet junk)

“For the first time in the world, the Russian Armed Forces carried out an attack on a fortified area of militants with combat drones. In the province of Latakia, army units of the Syrian army, with the support of Russian paratroopers and Russian combat drones, took the strategic height of 754.5, the Siriatel tower.

More recently, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, General Gerasimov, said that Russia is striving to completely robotize the battle, and perhaps soon we will witness how robotic groups independently conduct military operations, and this is what happened.

In Russia in 2013 it was adopted airborne weapons the latest automated control system "Andromeda-D", with which you can carry out operational control of a mixed group of troops.
The use of the latest high-tech equipment allows the command to ensure continuous control of troops performing training combat missions at unfamiliar training grounds, and the Airborne Forces command to monitor their actions, being at a distance of more than 5 thousand kilometers from their deployment sites, receiving from the training area not only a graphic picture of moving units, but also a video image of their actions in real time.

Depending on the tasks, the complex can be mounted on the chassis of a two-axle KamAZ, BTR-D, BMD-2 or BMD-4. In addition, taking into account the specifics of the Airborne Forces, Andromeda-D is adapted for loading into an aircraft, flight and landing.
This system, as well as combat drones, were deployed to Syria and tested in combat conditions.
Six Platform-M robotic complexes and four Argo complexes took part in the attack on the heights; the drone attack was supported by self-propelled drones recently deployed to Syria artillery installations(self-propelled guns) "Acacia", which can destroy enemy positions with overhead fire.

From the air, drones conducted reconnaissance behind the battlefield, transmitting information to the deployed Andromeda-D field center, as well as to Moscow to the National Defense Control Center command post General Staff Russia.

Combat robots, self-propelled guns, and drones were linked to the Andromeda-D automated control system. The commander of the attack to the heights, in real time, led the battle, the operators of combat drones, being in Moscow, led the attack, everyone saw both their own area of the battle and the whole picture as a whole.

The drones were the first to attack, approaching 100-120 meters to the militants’ fortifications, they called fire on themselves, and immediately attacked the detected firing points with self-propelled guns.

Behind the drones, at a distance of 150-200 meters, Syrian infantry advanced, clearing the heights.

The militants did not have the slightest chance, all their movements were controlled by drones, artillery strikes were carried out on the discovered militants, literally 20 minutes after the start of the attack by combat drones, the militants fled in horror, abandoning the dead and wounded. On the slopes of height 754.5, almost 70 militants were killed, there were no dead Syrian soldiers, only 4 wounded.”

The ability to preserve the most valuable resource - fighters on the battlefield from the beginning of the first wars was the most important and promising. Modern technologies allow the use of combat vehicles remotely, which eliminates the loss of an operator even if the unit is destroyed. One of the most pressing issues these days is the creation of unmanned aerial vehicles.

What is a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle)

A UAV is any aircraft that does not have a pilot in the air. The autonomy of the devices varies: there are the simplest options with remote control, or fully automated machines. The first option is also called remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), they are distinguished by the continuous delivery of commands from the operator. More advanced systems require only occasional commands, between which the device operates autonomously.

The main advantage of such machines over manned fighters and reconnaissance aircraft is that they are up to 20 times cheaper than their analogues with comparable capabilities.

The disadvantage of the devices is the vulnerability of communication channels, which are easy to disrupt and disable the machine.

History of the creation and development of UAVs

The history of drones began in Great Britain in 1933, when a radio-controlled aircraft was assembled based on the Fairy Queen biplane. Before the outbreak of World War II and in the early years, more than 400 of these vehicles were assembled and used as targets by the Royal Navy.

The first combat vehicle of this class was the famous German V-1, equipped with a pulsating jet engine. It is noteworthy that warhead aircraft could be launched both from the ground and from air carriers.

The rocket was controlled by the following means:

an autopilot, which was given altitude and heading parameters before launch;
the range was measured by a mechanical counter, which was driven by the rotation of the blades in the bow (the latter were launched from the incoming air flow);
upon reaching the set distance (dispersion - 6 km), the fuses were cocked, and the projectile automatically went into dive mode.

During the war, the United States produced targets for training anti-aircraft gunners - Radioplane OQ-2. Towards the end of the confrontation, the first repeatable attack drones appeared - Interstate TDR. The aircraft turned out to be ineffective due to its low speed and range, which were due to the low cost of production. In addition, the technical means of that time did not allow targeted fire or combat at a long distance without being followed by a control aircraft. Nevertheless, there were successes in the use of machines.

In the post-war years, UAVs were regarded exclusively as targets, but the situation changed after the appearance of anti-aircraft missile systems in the army. From that moment on, drones became reconnaissance aircraft, false targets for enemy anti-aircraft guns. Practice has shown that their use reduces losses of manned aircraft.

In the Soviet Union, until the 70s, heavy reconnaissance aircraft were actively produced as unmanned aircraft:

Tu-123 "Hawk";
Tu-141 Swift;
Tu-143 "Flight".

Significant aviation losses in Vietnam for the United States Army resulted in a revival of interest in UAVs.

Here tools appear to perform various tasks;

photographic reconnaissance;
radio intelligence;
electronic warfare targets.

In this form, the 147E was used, which collected intelligence so effectively that it recouped the cost of the entire program for its development many times over.

The practice of using UAVs has shown significantly greater potential as full-fledged combat vehicles. Therefore, after the beginning of the 80s, the United States began to develop tactical and operational-strategic drones.

Israeli specialists took part in the development of UAVs in the 80s and 90s. Initially, US devices were purchased, but their own scientific and technical base for development was quickly formed. The Tadiran company has proven itself best. Israeli army also demonstrated the effectiveness of using UAVs, carrying out operations against Syrian troops in 1982.

In the 80-90s, the obvious success of aircraft without a crew on board provoked the start of development by many companies around the world.

In the early 2000s, the first strike vehicle appeared - the American MQ-1 Predator. AGM-114C Hellfire missiles were installed on board. At the beginning of the century, drones were mainly used in the Middle East.

Until now, almost all countries are actively developing and implementing UAVs. For example, in 2013, the RF Armed Forces received reconnaissance systems with short range actions - "Orlan-10".

The Sukhoi and MiG design bureaus are also developing a new heavy vehicle - an attack aircraft with a take-off weight of up to 20 tons.

The purpose of the drone

Unmanned aerial vehicles are mainly used to solve the following tasks:

targets, including to divert enemy air defense systems;
intelligence service;
striking at various moving and stationary targets;
electronic warfare and others.

The effectiveness of the apparatus in performing tasks is determined by the quality of the following means: reconnaissance, communications, automated systems control, weapons.

Now such aircraft successfully reduce personnel losses and deliver information that cannot be obtained at a line-of-sight distance.

Types of UAVs

Combat drones are usually classified by type of control into remote, automatic and unmanned.

In addition, classification by weight and performance characteristics is in use:

Ultralight. These are the lightest UAVs, weighing no more than 10 kg. They can spend an hour in the air on average, the practical ceiling is 1000 meters;
Lungs. The weight of such machines reaches 50 kg, they are capable of climbing 3-5 km and spending 2-3 hours in operation;
Average. These are serious devices weighing up to a ton, their ceiling is 10 km, and they can spend up to 12 hours in the air without landing;
Heavy. Large aircraft weighing more than a ton are capable of rising to a height of 20 km and operating for more than a day without landing.

These groups also have civil structures, of course, they are lighter and simpler. Full-fledged combat vehicles are often no smaller in size than manned aircraft.

Uncontrollable

Unmanaged systems are simplest form UAV. Their control occurs due to on-board mechanics and established flight characteristics. In this form you can use targets, scouts or projectiles.

Remote control

Remote control usually occurs through radio communication, which limits the range of the machine. For example, civilian aircraft can operate within a range of 7-8 km.

Automatic

Basically, these are combat vehicles capable of independently performing complex tasks in the air. This class of machines is the most multifunctional.

Principle of operation

The operating principle of a UAV depends on its design features. There are several layout schemes that most modern aircraft correspond to:

Fixed wing. In this case, the devices are close to the aircraft layout, have rotary or jet engines. This option is the most fuel efficient and has a long range;
Multicopters. These are propeller-driven vehicles, equipped with at least two engines, capable of vertical takeoff/landing and hovering in the air, therefore they are especially good for reconnaissance, including in an urban environment;
Helicopter type. The layout is helicopter, the propeller systems can be different, for example, Russian designs are often equipped with coaxial propellers, which makes the models similar to machines such as the Black Shark;
Convertiplanes. This is a combination of helicopter and airplane design. To save space, such machines rise vertically into the air, the wing configuration changes during flight, and an airplane method of movement becomes possible;
Gliders. Basically, these are devices without engines that are dropped from a heavier vehicle and move along a given trajectory. This type is suitable for reconnaissance purposes.

Depending on the type of engine, the fuel used also changes. Electric motors are powered by a battery, internal combustion engines are powered by gasoline, jet engines are powered by the appropriate fuel.

The power plant is mounted in the housing, and control electronics, controls and communications are also located here. The body is a streamlined volume to give the structure an aerodynamic shape. The basis of the strength characteristics is the frame, which is usually assembled from metal or polymers.

The simplest set of control systems is as follows:

CPU;
barometer for determining altitude;
accelerometer;
gyroscope;
navigator;
random access memory;
signal receiver.

Military devices are controlled using a remote control (if the range is short) or via satellites.

Collection of information for the operator and software the machine itself comes from sensors of various types. Laser, sound, infrared and other types are used.

Navigation is carried out using GPS and electronic maps.

Incoming signals are transformed by the controller into commands, which are transmitted to executing devices, for example, elevators.

Advantages and disadvantages of UAVs

Compared to manned vehicles, UAVs have serious advantages:

Weight and size characteristics are improved, the survivability of the unit increases, and visibility for radars decreases;
UAVs are tens of times cheaper than manned airplanes and helicopters, while highly specialized models can solve complex tasks on the battlefield;
Intelligence data when using UAVs is transmitted in real time;
Manned equipment is subject to restrictions on use in combat conditions when the risk of death is too high. Automated machines do not have such problems. Considering economic factors, sacrificing a few will be much more profitable than losing a trained pilot;
Combat readiness and mobility are maximized;
Several units can be combined into entire complexes to solve a number of complex problems.

Any flying drone also has disadvantages:

manned devices have significantly greater flexibility in practice;
It is still not possible to come to a unified solution to the issues of saving the device in the event of a fall, landing on prepared sites, and ensuring reliable communication over long distances;
the reliability of automatic devices is still significantly lower than their manned counterparts;
By various reasons V Peaceful time flights of unmanned aircraft are seriously limited.

Nevertheless, work continues to improve technology, including neural networks that can influence the future of UAVs.

Unmanned vehicles of Russia

Yak-133

This is a drone developed by the Irkut company - an unobtrusive device capable of conducting reconnaissance and, if necessary, destroying enemy combat units. It is expected to be equipped with guided missiles and bombs.

A-175 "Shark"

A complex capable of all-weather climate monitoring, including on difficult terrain. Initially, the model was developed by AeroRobotics LLC for peaceful purposes, but manufacturers do not rule out the release of military modifications.

"Altair"

A reconnaissance and strike vehicle capable of staying in the air for up to two days. Practical ceiling - 12 km, speed within 150-250 km/h. At takeoff, the weight reaches 5 tons, of which 1 ton is the payload.

BAS-62

Civil development of the Sukhoi Design Bureau. In the reconnaissance modification, it is capable of collecting diverse data about objects on water and land. Can be used for monitoring power lines, mapping, and monitoring meteorological conditions.

US unmanned vehicles

EQ-4

Developed by Northrop Grumman. In 2017, three vehicles entered the United States Army. They were sent to the UAE.

"Fury"

A Lockheed Martin drone designed not only for surveillance and reconnaissance, but also for electronic warfare. Capable of continuing flight up to 15 hours.

"LightingStrike"

The brainchild of Aurora Flight Sciences, which is being developed as fighting machine with vertical take-off. It reaches speeds of more than 700 km/h and can carry up to 1800 kg of payload.

MQ-1B "Predator"

The development of General Atomics is a medium-altitude vehicle, which was originally created as a reconnaissance vehicle. Later it was modified into a multi-purpose technique.

Israeli drones

"Mastiff"

The first UAV created by the Israelis was the Mastiff, which flew in 1975. The purpose of this vehicle was reconnaissance on the battlefield. It remained in service until the early 90s.

"Shadmit"

These devices were used for reconnaissance in the early 1980s during the first Lebanon War. Some of the systems used transmitted intelligence data in real time, while others simulated an air invasion. Thanks to them, the fight against air defense systems was successfully carried out.

IAI "Scout"

The Scout was created as a tactical reconnaissance vehicle, for which it was equipped with a television camera and a system for broadcasting collected information in real time.

I-View MK150

Another name is “Observer”. The devices were developed by the Israeli company IAI. This is a tactical vehicle equipped with an infrared surveillance system and combined optical-electronic components.

Unmanned vehicles in Europe

MALE RPAS

One of the recent developments is a promising reconnaissance and strike vehicle, which is being created jointly by Italian, Spanish, German and French companies. The first demonstration took place in 2018.

"Sagem Sperwer"

One of the French developments, which managed to prove itself in the Balkans at the end of the last century (1990s). The creation was carried out based on national and pan-European programs.

"Eagle 1"

Another French vehicle, which is designed for reconnaissance operations. It is assumed that the device will operate at altitudes of 7-8 thousand meters.

HALE

A high-altitude UAV that can fly up to 18 kilometers. The device can survive in the air for up to three days.

In Europe as a whole, France takes the leading role in the development of unmanned aircraft. New products are constantly appearing all over the world, including modular multifunctional models, on the basis of which various military and civilian vehicles can be assembled.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

It is unlikely that robots will ever completely replace humans in those areas of activity that require rapid adoption of non-standard decisions both in peaceful life and in combat. However, the development of drones in the last nine years has become fashion trend military aircraft industry. Many militarily leading countries are mass producing UAVs. Russia has not yet managed not only to take its traditional leadership position in the field of weapons design, but also to overcome the gap in this segment of defense technologies. However, work in this direction is underway.

Motivation for UAV development

The first results of using unmanned aircraft appeared back in the forties, however, the technology of that time was more consistent with the concept of an “aircraft-projectile”. The Fau cruise missile could fly in one direction with its own course control system, built on the inertial-gyroscopic principle.

In the 50s and 60s Soviet systems Air defense reached high level efficiency, and began to pose a serious danger to aircraft probable enemy in the event of a real confrontation. The wars in Vietnam and the Middle East caused real panic among US and Israeli pilots. Cases of refusals to carry out combat missions in areas covered by Soviet-made anti-aircraft systems have become frequent. Ultimately, the reluctance to put the lives of pilots at mortal risk prompted design companies to look for a way out.

Start of practical application

The first country to use unmanned aircraft, became Israel. In 1982, during the conflict with Syria (Bekaa Valley), reconnaissance aircraft operating in robotic mode appeared in the sky. With their help, the Israelis managed to detect battle formations Enemy air defense, which made it possible to launch a missile strike on them.

The first drones were intended exclusively for reconnaissance flights over “hot” territories. Currently, attack drones are also used, which have weapons and ammunition on board and directly carry out bomb and missile attacks on suspected enemy positions.

The United States has the largest number of them, where Predators and other types of combat aircraft are mass-produced.

Application experience military aviation V modern period, in particular the operation to pacify the South Ossetian conflict in 2008, showed that Russia also needs UAVs. Conduct heavy reconnaissance in the face of enemy attacks air defense risky and leads to unjustified losses. As it turned out, there are certain shortcomings in this area.

Problems

The dominant modern idea today is the opinion that Russia needs attack UAVs to a lesser extent than reconnaissance ones. You can strike the enemy with fire using a variety of means, including high-precision tactical missiles and artillery. Where information is more important about the deployment of his forces and correct target designation. As American experience has shown, the use of drones directly for shelling and bombing leads to numerous mistakes, the death of civilians and their own soldiers. This does not exclude a complete abandonment of strike models, but only reveals a promising direction along which new Russian UAVs will be developed in the near future. It would seem that the country that just recently occupied a leading position in the creation of unmanned aerial vehicles is doomed to success today. Back in the first half of the 60s, aircraft were created that flew in automatic mode: La-17R (1963), Tu-123 (1964) and others. The leadership remained in the 70s and 80s. However, in the nineties, the technological gap became obvious, and an attempt to eliminate it in the last decade, accompanied by the expenditure of five billion rubles, did not give the expected result.

Current situation

At the moment, the most promising UAVs in Russia are represented by the following main models:

In practice, the only serial UAVs in Russia are now represented by the complex artillery reconnaissance"Tipchak", capable of performing a narrowly defined range of combat missions related to target designation. The agreement between Oboronprom and IAI, signed in 2010, for the large-scale assembly of Israeli drones can be viewed as a temporary measure that does not ensure development Russian technologies, but only covering a gap in the range of domestic defense production.

Some promising models can be reviewed individually as part of publicly available information.

"Pacer"

Take-off weight is one ton, which is not so little for a drone. The design development is carried out by the Transas company, and flight tests of prototypes are currently underway. Layout diagram, V-shaped tail, wide wing, takeoff and landing method (aircraft), and General characteristics roughly correspond to the performance of the currently most common American Predator. The Russian UAV “Inokhodets” will be able to carry a variety of equipment allowing for reconnaissance at any time of the day, aerial photography and telecommunications support. It is assumed that it will be possible to produce strike, reconnaissance and civilian modifications.

"Watch"

The main model is a reconnaissance model, it is equipped with video and photo cameras, a thermal imager and other recording equipment. Attack UAVs can also be produced on the basis of a heavy airframe. Russia needs Dozor-600 more as a universal platform for testing technologies for the production of more powerful drones, but the launch of this particular drone into mass production cannot be ruled out either. The project is currently under development. The date of the first flight was 2009, at the same time the sample was presented at the MAKS international exhibition. Designed by Transas.

"Altair"

It can be assumed that at the moment the largest attack UAVs in Russia are Altair, developed by the Sokol Design Bureau. The project also has another name - “Altius-M”. The take-off weight of these drones is five tons, it will be built by the Kazan Gorbunov Aviation Plant, part of Joint-Stock Company"Tupolev". The cost of the contract concluded with the Ministry of Defense is approximately one billion rubles. It is also known that these new Russian UAVs have dimensions comparable to those of an interceptor aircraft:

length - 11,600 mm;
wingspan - 28,500 mm;
tail span - 6,000 mm.

The power of two screw aviation diesel engines is 1000 hp. With. These Russian reconnaissance and attack UAVs will be able to stay in the air for up to two days, covering a distance of 10 thousand kilometers. Little is known about electronic equipment; one can only guess about its capabilities.

Other types

Other Russian UAVs are also in promising development, for example, the aforementioned “Okhotnik”, an unmanned heavy drone that is also capable of performing various functions, both information and reconnaissance and strike-assault. In addition, there is also diversity in the principle of the device. UAVs come in both airplane and helicopter types. Big number rotors provides the ability to effectively maneuver and hover over an object of interest, producing high-quality photography. Information can be quickly transmitted over encrypted communication channels or accumulated in the built-in memory of the equipment. UAV control can be algorithmic-software, remote or combined, in which the return to the base is carried out automatically in case of loss of control.

Apparently, unmanned Russian vehicles will soon be neither qualitatively nor quantitatively inferior to foreign models.

Hello!

I want to say right away that it is difficult to believe in this, almost impossible, the stereotype is to blame for everything, but I will try to present this clearly and justify it with specific tests.

My article is intended for people associated with aviation or those who are interested in aviation.

In 2000, an idea arose about the trajectory of a mechanical blade moving in a circle with a turn on its axis. As shown in Fig.1.

And so imagine, the blade (1), (flat rectangular plate, side view) rotating in a circle (3) rotates on its axis (2) in a certain dependence, by 2 degrees of rotation along the circle, 1 degree of rotation on its axis (2) . As a result, we have the trajectory of the blade (1) shown in Fig. 1. Now imagine that the blade is in a fluid, in air or water, with this movement the following happens: moving in one direction (5) around the circle, the blade has maximum resistance to the fluid, and moving in the other direction (4) around the circle, has minimal resistance to fluid.

This is the principle of operation of the propulsion device; all that remains is to invent a mechanism that executes the trajectory of the blade. This is what I did from 2000 to 2013. The mechanism was called VRK, which stands for rotating deployable wing. IN this description wing, blade, and plate have the same meaning.

I created my own workshop and started creating, tried different options, and around 2004-2005 I got the following result.

Rice. 2

Rice. 3

I made a simulator to test the lifting force of the lifting rocket (Fig. 2). The VRK is made of three blades, the blades along the inner perimeter have a stretched red raincoat fabric, the purpose of the simulator is to overcome the force of gravity of 4 kg. Fig.3. I attached the steelyard to the VRK shaft. Result Fig.4:

Rice. 4

The simulator easily lifted this load, there was a report on local television, State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company Bira, these are stills from this report. Then I added speed and adjusted it to 7 kg, the simulator lifted this load too, after that I tried to add more speed, but the mechanism could not stand it. Therefore, I can judge the experiment by this result, although it is not final, but in numbers it looks like this:

The clip shows a simulator for testing the lifting force of a lifting rocket. The horizontal structure is hinged on legs, with a rotary control valve installed on one side and a drive on the other. Drive – el. motor 0.75 kW, electric efficiency engine 0.75%, that is, in fact the engine produces 0.75 * 0.75 = 0.5625 kW, we know that 1 hp = 0.7355 kW.

Before turning on the simulator, I weigh the VRK shaft with a steelyard; the weight is 4 kg. This can be seen from the clip, after the report I changed the gear ratio, added speed and added weight, as a result the simulator lifted 7 kilograms, then when the weight and speed increased, it could not stand it. Let's return to the calculations after the fact, if 0.5625 kW lifts 7 kg, then 1 hp = 0.7355 kW will lift 0.7355 kW/0.5625 kW = 1.3 and 7 * 1.3 = 9.1 kg.

During testing, the VRK propulsion unit showed a vertical lift force of 9.1 kg per horsepower. For example, a helicopter has half the lifting force. (I compare specifications helicopters, where the maximum take-off weight per engine power is 3.5-4 kg/per 1 hp, for an airplane it is 8 kg/per 1 hp). I would like to note that this is not the final result; for testing, the lifting force must be made in the factory and on a stand with precision instruments to determine the lifting force.

The propeller of the VRK, has technical feasibility, change the direction of the driving force by 360 degrees, this allows you to take off vertically and switch to horizontal movement. In this article I do not dwell on this issue; this is set out in my patents.

Received 2 patents for VRK Fig.5, Fig.6, but today they are not valid for non-payment. But all the information for creating a VRK is not in the patents.

Rice. 5

Rice. 6

Now the most difficult thing is that everyone has a stereotype about existing aircraft, these are airplanes and helicopters (I am not taking examples of jet-powered aircraft or rockets).

VRK - having an advantage over a propeller such as higher driving force and changing the direction of movement by 360 degrees, allows you to create completely new aircraft for various purposes, which will take off vertically from any site and smoothly transition to horizontal movement.

In terms of complexity of production, aircraft with a propeller-propelled rocket system are no more complicated than a car; the purpose of aircraft can be very different:

Individual, put it on your back, and flew like a bird;
Family type of transport, for 4-5 people, Fig. 7;
Municipal transport: ambulance, police, administration, fire, Ministry of Emergency Situations, etc., Fig. 7;
Airbuses for peripheral and intercity transport, Fig. 8;
An aircraft taking off vertically on a propeller rocket, switching to jet engines, Fig. 9;
And any aircraft for all kinds of tasks.

Rice. 7

Rice. 8

Rice. 9

Their appearance and the principle of flight are difficult to perceive. In addition to aircraft, the propeller can be used as a propulsion device for swimming vehicles, but we do not touch on this topic here.

VRK is a whole area that I can’t cope with alone, I would like to hope that this area will be needed in Russia.

Having received the result in 2004-2005, I was inspired and hoped that I would quickly convey my thoughts to the specialists, but until this happened, all the years I have been making new versions of the propeller control system, using different kinematic schemes, but the test result was negative. In 2011, repeated the 2004-2005 version, el. the engine was turned on via an inverter, this ensured a smooth start of the VRK, however, the VRK mechanism was made from materials available to me according to simplified version, so I can’t give the maximum load, I adjusted it to 2 kg.

I slowly raise the engine speed. engine, as a result the air-propulsion system exhibits a silent, smooth takeoff.

Full clip of the latest challenge:

On this optimistic note, I bid you farewell.

Sincerely, Kokhochev Anatoly Alekseevich.

For a quarter of a century, ideas have been floating around the world about creating a so-called hybrid aircraft, which in its design will combine an airship, an airplane and a helicopter. Why is such a strange design needed if all three of these types of aircraft can be used separately? But the fact is that even in the era of large Soviet construction projects, a problem arose in transporting massive structures that still had to be installed exactly in the designated place. After all, in fact, an ordinary helicopter will not carry a multi-ton drilling rig to the operation site. Therefore, the tower elements were delivered by rail, and then assembly began. This took a huge amount of time and resources, including financial ones. It was then that the Tyumen designers had the idea of creating an aircraft that could move through the air at a relatively low speed and carry a large load.

By the way, this idea, first born in the USSR, reached the United States. Already next year, the Americans plan to take to the skies a giant Aeroscraft - both an airplane and an airship at the same time. It can be stated that Russian designers are ahead of the Americans in terms of implementing the idea of a hybrid aircraft. After all, its “BARS”, which is how the hybrid is named, made its first flight over the Tyumen fields back in the mid-90s. It turns out that the job is done and our aircraft designers can rest on their laurels, however, as always, their work and talent cannot be appreciated. This is due, first of all, to total underfunding. That same “BARS”, despite its obvious advantages, has not been put into mass production, so many problems in transporting goods by air have not yet been solved.

Let's try to figure out what the advantages of hybrid aircraft are? The fact is that the design of the same “BARS” is a real integration of elements of three aircraft at once. Its body is made of the same materials as the aircraft body, but in its central part there is a technological area with several propellers. These screws allow the hybrid machine to move strictly vertically. In addition, the aircraft is equipped with helium containers, which implement the principle of airship flight and allow the hybrid to be firmly fixed to the ground during unloading. The BARS and similar models have elevators, as well as side tails, like a regular airplane. This allows him to maneuver effectively in flight.

Many may notice that an airship could cope with the function of delivering equipment of large mass to a designated point, however, an airship is much more difficult to control and is subject to the influence of currents air masses which could easily lead to disaster. And the airship cannot effectively lower a large load - after lowering a multi-ton structure, the airship can take off uncontrollably, as if discarding large ballast. A hybrid aircraft does not have such disadvantages. In addition, aircraft such as the BARS are equipped with an air cushion, which can allow it to fill a special capsule with water, and then use it to extinguish fires or irrigate fields.

If Russian idea While it is entirely focused on civilian cargo transportation, the Americans plan to use their hybrid for military purposes. The Pentagon says that it is already ready to purchase several Aeroscraft in order to use it in the future to deliver warheads and troops to hard-to-reach areas.

Of course, there is no point in saying that hybrid aircraft should be used as passenger transport. Airplanes are better suited for this purpose, because the speed of a hybrid is not higher than 200 km/h. But in terms of effectively providing remote construction sites, transporting large loads across mountain ranges, and extinguishing fires, these machines will have no equal. Note that the carrying capacity of the hybrid is about 400 tons, which is 130 tons higher than the carrying capacity of the huge Mriya aircraft.

Let's hope that flying hybrids will soon begin to be supplied to various sectors of Russian civil aviation.