First Russian heavy-class UAV
Development of heavy-class „ALTIUS“ UAV, which has been underway in construction bureau of M.P. Simonov (KAZAN), has entered its final phase, confirmed the source from the defense industrial complex.
„The technology demonstrator, manufactured according to the programme specifications last year, has successfully finished the series of flight tests. Flight tests were postponed in December 2016. It is planned, to continue flight tests with first pre-serial units, with implemented improvements made according to the results of previous tests of the prototype”, said the source. According to his comments, two pre-serial machines are in high stage of production. “Thanks to the experimental machine, the ground elements of the UAV, control system, connection, take-off and landing procedures have been developed. Take-off and landing are fully automatic, controlled by pre-set algorithm, which can be switched to manual regime and controlled by operator from the ground. Together with manufacturing of new examples, the development of weapons for new surveillance and attack UAV is ongoing. Media have informed about starting of the trials of the first Russian heavy UAV in the summer of 2016 in Kazan. Later in autumn, images of this UAV appeared on the internet, made from satellite, on one of the Kazan´s airports. According to the expert´s evaluation, its weight it around 5 tons. It is equipped with two diesel engines RED A03/V12 with 500 hp. It can fly for 48 hours without refueling. Operational ceiling is 12 000 m; maximum range 10 000 km. It has been speculated, that new UAV will be used for monitoring of Arctic region. It is planned to start the production in 2018. Currently, Russia has no UAV of similar class. Similar class of surveillance and attack UAV are manufactured only in USA.