Ukraine has developed a new drone capable of covering 2,000 km, dropping a 250-kilogram bomb and returning to base. This UAV is a game changer.
This makes it one of the most effective reusable drones in the war with Russia. This was reported by Channel 24, citing Forbes analyst David Ax.
What is known about the new drone in service with Ukraine
The Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces officially confirmed the use of long-range drones that can return after completing the task.
This technology changes the rules of the game on the battlefield,
– the command noted.
According to Ax, the basis of the new UAV remains unknown, but photographic evidence indicates a modification of a civilian sports aircraft.
Ukrainians previously used remotely controlled propeller-driven Aeroprakt A-22 aircraft with bomb racks, but they only performed one-way missions – it was something like a slow cruise missile. The new drone can drop bombs and return, which significantly increases its effectiveness.
The reusable strike UAV allows you to significantly increase the rate of strikes on objects in Russia, in particular, on air bases and oil refineries.
Controlling a drone in flight is relatively simple, using GPS navigation and satellite communication. However, landing – a more difficult task. Smaller UAVs can use parachutes, while larger ones require a runway.
According to Ax, Western military drones have sophisticated automatic landing systems. It is not known whether Ukrainian developers use similar technologies, since the cost of such a drone is relatively low. One Ukrainian drone can cost several hundred thousand dollars.
“An alternative, mastered by the crews of the US Air Force's Predator and Reaper drones, is that a human pilot takes control of the approaching drone in the last few minutes before it reaches its base and, looking through the drone's front camera, guides the machine to land. Just like in a flight simulator,” – the analyst notes.
We should add that it was this drone that probably dropped the bomb on the pumping station of the Druzhba oil pipeline on the night of January 30. It is capable of returning and covering a distance of 2,000 kilometers.