TYPES OF DRONES

In recent years, Russia has grown increasingly aware of the importance of unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAVs) in modern warfare as well as increasingly interested in expanding its own use of drones. In
addition to military missions (surveillance, reconnaissance, communications, intelligence, electronic
warfare, strike, etc.), drones will be used for domestic security purposes (e.g., border patrol, coastal
surveillance) and for civilian purposes (e.g., search and rescue, prevention of major forest fires, Arctic
exploration). Russia seriously lags behind the West in drone technologies. In theory, given its proven
ability to develop complex air and space systems, Russia should be able to master the competencies
required to design and produce UAVs. However, shortcomings in key technologies associated with
drone development (optics, electronic systems for light aircraft, composite materials, etc.) will need to
be overcome. As an additional hurdle, the Russian armed forces have experienced difficulties in
formulating requirements and specifications for Russian drone manufacturers. In recent years, Russia
has worked to improve the situation, so far with only relative success. As a clear sign of increasing
reliance on unmanned systems, a growing number of military exercises involve the use of UAVs, and
the number of flights carried out by UAVs is said by Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) sources to
have doubled in 2014 from the previous Introduction 1 2 3 PROLIFERATED DRONES year. Russia
has also covertly used drones – including, presumably, the small optical surveillance and
reconnaissance drone Orlan-10 – in support of the insurgents fighting in Donbass (Ukraine). In
addition, there have been reports that the Russian armed forces may be using drones in their
operations in Syria.

SUKHOI S-70 OKHOTNIK-B

The Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B (Russian: Сухой С-70 "Охотник", lit. 'Hunter'), also referred to
as Hunter-B, is a Russian stealth heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) being developed
by Sukhoi and Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG as a sixth-generation aircraft project. The drone is
based on the earlier Mikoyan Skat, designed by MiG, and encompassing some technologies of
the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet
SPECIFICATIONS

General characteristics

 Crew: none
 Wingspan: 20 m (65 ft)
 Empty weight: 20,000 kg (44,092 lb)
 Powerplant: 1 × Saturn AL-31F or AL-41F, 123–147 kN (28,000–33,000 lbf) with
afterburner

Performance

 Maximum speed: 1,000 km/h (620 mph, 540 kn)

 Range: 6,000 km (3,700 mi, 3,200 nmi)
 Combat range: 4,000 km (2,500 mi, 2,200 nmi)

Armament

 2 internal weapons bays for up to 2,000 kg of guided and unguided munitions

CONTENTS

Development

Design

Specifications (Sukhoi S-70)

DEVELOPMENT

The Okhotnik has been under development since at least 2011, when Sukhoi was selected by the
Russian Defence Ministry to lead a programme for a new heavy unmanned reconnaissance and attack
drone. The new UCAV is being jointly developed by MiG and Sukhoi, based on data of the earlier
Mikoyan Skat UCAV programme. The work is carried out by the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production
Association (NAPO), part of the Sukhoi company. In the documents, the drone is characterised as a
"sixth-generation unmanned aerial vehicle".

The first mock-up intended for ground tests was created in 2014. Prototype of the drone was first
revealed in July 2017, showing the drone's flying wing configuration.

In November 2018, the drone performed first series of taxiing, speeding and stopping tests in fully
autonomous mode at a runway of the NAPO plant. During the runs, it has reached a maximum speed
of 200 km/h.

On 18 January 2019, the third flyable Su-57 prototype (bort no. 053) was spotted wearing a new
digital camouflage paint scheme, with digital silhouette of the Okhotnik on its top and underside and a
unique markings on the vertical tail showing the shape of a UCAV flying alongside the shape of Su-
57 with a lightning bolt (universally used to show electronic connectivity and data sharing) between
the two. On 24 January 2019, first flyable prototype of the drone was seen towed at the NAPO plant.
According to Russian officials, the Su-57 is being used as a flying laboratory for the testing of the
Okhotnik's avionics systems.

In late May 2019, Okhotnik performed a series of flight tests during which the drone flew several
meters above a runway of the NAPO plant.

On 3 August 2019, Okhotnik performed its maiden flight. The drone flew for about 20 minutes at an
altitude of 600 meters above Chkalov State Flight Test Center in Akhtubinsk, and made several
circles around the airfield.  On August 7, the Russian Defence Ministry released a video of the first
flight

On 27 September 2019, Russian MoD released a video showcasing the first flight of Okhotnik

alongside Su-57. Reportedly the UAV operated autonomously and flew for more than 30 minutes
interacting with the Su-57 to test extending the fighter's radar and target designation range for use of
long-range air-launched weapons from the outside of enemy air defenses.

On 12 February 2021, it was reported that three additional prototypes were under construction at the
Novosibirsk Chkalov Aviation Plant, according to a source in the military-industrial complex. The
second model is a modified copy of the 1st prototype while the 3rd and 4th prototypes will be
identical to the serial production unit. The improvements will relate to the systems of onboard radio-
electronic equipment and structural elements of the airframe.The three additional prototypes should be
ready for flight tests in 2022 and 2023. The source in the military-industrial complex also said that the
serial Hunter will receive a standard flat nozzle to further reduce their thermal and radar signature.

On 28 February 2021, it was reported that the Okhotnik will be used aboard the future Project 23900
Ivan Rogov amphibious assault ships, capable of carrying 4 Okhotnik drones, for reconnaissance and
strike missions.

DESIGN

The Okhotnik's design is based on the flying-wing scheme and incorporates use of composite

materials and stealth coatings, making the drone low-observable in flight. It has a weight of about 20
tons and a wingspan around 65 feet (20 m). The drone is powered either by a single AL-31F turbofan,
as used on the Sukhoi Su-27 fighter aircraft, or by the improved AL-41F derivative installed on Su-
35S fighters and Su-57 prototypes. Although the first prototype's exhaust nozzle was conventional and
could increase the drone's radar signature, future upgrade could see improved exhaust as well as
engine inlet as shown by a mock up at the 2019 MAKS International Aviation and Space Salon. The
maximum speed of the drone is reportedly 1,000 km/h while carrying its payload internally. It is
likely the Okhotnik was designed to act as a "loyal wingman" controlled by the Su-57. The aircraft
bears some visual resemblance to RQ-170. It is speculated that the Russian engineers could have had
access to the one that was captured by Iranians.
ALTIUS-U
The Sokol Altius is a medium-altitude long-endurance Russian unmanned combat aerial
vehicle developed by OKB Sokol (formerly known as Simonov Design Bureau) and Tranzas to
perform reconnaissance, strike and electronic attack missions on behalf of the Russian Air Force and
Navy. The program started in 2011 and thus far 3 prototypes have been built.

The Altius is comparable to the striking and reconnaissance capabilities of the US-made RQ-9
Reaper and RQ-4 Global Hawk UAVs.

Specifications

General characteristics

 Crew: 0
 Empty weight: 6,000 kg (13,228 lb)
 Max takeoff weight: 8,000 kg (17,637 lb)
 Payload: 1,000 kg (2,200 lb)

Performance

 Range: 10,000 km (6,200 mi, 5,400 nmi)

 Endurance: 24 hours
 Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,000 ft)

Armament

 Bombs: Grom-1, Grom-2

Contents

Development

Design

Variants
Specifications Altius-U

Development

The Altius program started in October 2011 after the Russian Ministry of Defense awarded a 3 billion
Ruble contract and resulted in three demonstrators. The first one, called Altair, was unveiled in 2014
and flew for the first time in 2016, while the second demonstrator, the Altius-M, was spotted for the
first time in 2017. The third demonstrator, the Altius-U, is considered the final evolution of the
project, and made its maiden flight in 2019. The drone is expected to enter service in 2021

The development of the Altius had known several technical delays because of practical setbacks and
cost increases, such as losing the right to use French engines, forcing Russia to develop their own
engines for the drone. Altius was originally planned to be fully operational by 2018. In April 2018,
the authorities arrested the Director General of OKB Sokol, Simonov Alexander Gomzin, whom the
investigation suspected of embezzlement of 900 million rubles allocated for the development of the
Altius drone.

The Altius will be the backbone of the fleet of Russian heavy drones, the Izvestia daily reported in
September 2019.

On 21 February 2021, it was reported that a state contract had been signed between the manufacturer
and the Russian MoD for the supply of the first batch of Altius, with delivery expected in 2021.

Design

Altius is built according to the classical aerodynamic design with a highly located wing of a large
scope and a V-tail. It is known that Altius was built with the wide use of composite structural
materials. Altius uses two new VK-800C turboprop engines developed at the Klimov Design Bureau.

Variants

Altair-First demonstrator.

Altius-M-Second bigger demonstrator.

Altius-U-Third and last demonstrator, showing the final design of the Altius drone when in serial
production.

Altius-Final serial production variant.

IAI HERON

The IAI Heron (Machatz-1) is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

developed by the Malat (UAV) division of Israel Aerospace Industries. It is capable of Medium
Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) operations of up to 52 hours' duration at up to 10.5 km (35,000 ft).
It has demonstrated 52 hours of continuous flight, but the effective operational maximal flight
duration is less, according to payload and flight profile. An advanced version, the Heron TP, is also
known as the IAI Eitan.

On 11 September 2005, it was announced that the Israel Defense Forces purchased US$50 million
worth of Heron systems.

Specifications

General characteristics

 Capacity: 250 kg (551 lb)
 Length: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
 Wingspan: 16.6 m (54 ft 6 in)
 Airfoil: IAI SA-21[40]
 Max takeoff weight: 1,150 kg (2,535 lb)
 Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 914 4-cylinder air and water cooled horizontally-opposed piston
engine, 86 kW (115 hp)
 Propellers: 3-bladed pusher propeller

Performance

 Maximum speed: 207 km/h (129 mph, 112 kn)

 Endurance: 52 hours[41]
 Service ceiling: 10,000 m (33,000 ft)
 Rate of climb: 2.5 m/s (490 ft/min)
 Wing loading: 89 kg/m2 (18 lb/sq ft)

Contents

Design and Development

The Heron navigates using an internal GPS navigation device, and either a pre-programmed flight
profile (in which case the system is fully autonomous from takeoff to landing), manual override from
a ground control station, or a combination of both. It can autonomously return to base and land in case
of lost communication with the ground station. The system has fully automatic launch and recovery
(ALR) and all-weather capabilities.

The Heron can carry an array of sensors, including thermographic camera (infrared) and visible-
light airborne ground surveillance, intelligence systems (COMINT and ELINT) and
various radar systems, totaling up to 250 kg (550 lb). The Heron is also capable of target
acquisition and artillery adjustment.

The payload sensors communicate with the ground control station in real time, using either direct  line
of sight data link, or via an airborne/satellite relay. Like the navigation system, the payload can also
be used in either a fully pre-programmed autonomous mode, or manual real-time remote operation, or
a combination of both.

At the February 2014 Singapore Air Show, IAI unveiled the Super Heron refinement of the Heron
UAS. The Super Heron has a 200-horsepower diesel engine[2] that increases its rate of climb and
performance. Its range is 250 km (160 mi) line-of-sight and 1,000 km (620 mi) by satellite control.
Endurance is 45 hours at a maximum altitude of 30,000 ft (9,100 m). Cruising speed is 60 to 80 kn
(110 to 150 km/h; 69 to 92 mph) and top speed over 150 kn (280 km/h; 170 mph).

Operational History

The Heron saw significant use during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza of 2008–2009. During the
deployment, each brigade combat team was assigned a UAV squadron for close support. This was the
first Israeli operation in which UAVs, helicopters, and fighter jets were allocated to ground forces
directly without IAF central command authorizing sorties. Air-support controller teams operated
alongside brigade commanders at the front emphasizing the brigade commander's utilization of direct
air assets. A high degree of situational awareness was achieved by maintaining at least a dozen UAVs
in flight over Gaza at all times. Aerial surveillance was provided by Heron and Hermes 450 UAVs
and Apache attack helicopters. Along with coordination between the air force and ground troops,
Israeli ground forces were able to utilize cooperation with the Israel Security Agency by having
operatives attached to the forward units. This inter-service coordination allowed for a higher level of
tactical awareness and the ability to strike time-critical targets.

Other countries operating the Heron include Singapore, India and Turkey. France operates a

derivative of Heron named Eagle or Harfang. In 2008, Canada announced a plan to lease a Heron for
use in Afghanistan, starting in 2009. In mid-2009, Australia leased two Herons as part of a
multimillion-dollar lease to operate the vehicles in Afghanistan.  In early July 2013, the Heron
reached 15,000 flight hours over Afghanistan. Australia concluded its use of the Heron in support
of Operation Slipper in Afghanistan on 30 November 2014, after it had accumulated 27,000 flight
hours. Royal Australian Air Force retired two Herons in June 2017.

Heron Variants

 Turkey operates a special variant of the Heron, which utilizes Turkish-designed and

manufactured electro-optical subsystems. For example, the Turkish Herons use the ASELFLIR-
300T airborne thermal Imaging and targeting system designed and manufactured
by ASELSAN of Turkey. The Turkish Herons also have stronger engines in order to compensate
for the added payload created by the heavier ASELFLIR-300T. This is the same FLIR system
currently used in the TAI/AgustaWestland T129 attack helicopter and also the TAI Anka MALE
UAV. IAI staff maintain that the Turkish Heron's "with its enhanced performance, is better than
all existing Heron UAVs operating worldwide". Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) provides
maintenance and overhaul services for its Herons.
 EADS Harfang – variant operated by France

GENERAL ATOMICS MQ-1 PREDATOR

The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial

vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General
Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the United States Air Force (USAF). The MQ-
9 and other UAVs are referred to as Remotely Piloted Vehicles/Aircraft (RPV/RPA) by the USAF to
indicate their human ground controllers.
The MQ-9 is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance. In
2006, the then–Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force General T. Michael Moseley said:
"We've moved from using UAVs primarily in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance roles
before Operation Iraqi Freedom, to a true hunter-killer role with the Reaper.

The MQ-9 is a larger, heavier, and more capable aircraft than the earlier General Atomics MQ-1
Predator; it can be controlled by the same ground systems used to control MQ-1s. The Reaper has a
950-shaft-horsepower (712 kW) turboprop engine (compared to the Predator's 115 hp (86 kW) piston
engine). The greater power allows the Reaper to carry 15 times more ordnance payload and cruise at
about three times the speed of the MQ-1. The aircraft is monitored and controlled by aircrew in the
Ground Control Station (GCS), including weapons employment.

In 2008, the New York Air National Guard 174th Attack Wing began the transition from F-16 piloted
fighters to MQ-9A Reapers, becoming the first fighter unit to convert entirely to unmanned combat
aerial vehicle (UCAV) use. In March 2011, the U.S. Air Force was training more pilots for advanced
unmanned aerial vehicles than for any other single weapons system. The Reaper is also used by
the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the militaries of several other countries.

The USAF operated 195 MQ-9 Reapers as of September 2016, and plans to keep the MQ-9 in service
into the 2030s.

Specifications

General characteristics

 Crew: 0 onboard, 2 in ground station

 Length: 36 ft 1 in (11 m)
 Wingspan: 65 ft 7 in (20 m)
 Height: 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
 Empty weight: 4,901 lb (2,223 kg)
 Max takeoff weight: 10,494 lb (4,760 kg)
 Fuel capacity: 4,000 lb (1,800 kg)
 Payload: 3,800 lb (1,700 kg)
o Internal: 800 lb (360 kg)
 o External: 3,000 lb (1,400 kg)
 Powerplant: 1 × Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop, 900 hp (671 kW) with Digital Electronic
Engine Control (DEEC)

Performance

 Maximum speed: 300 mph (482 km/h, 260 kn)

 Cruise speed: 194 mph (313 km/h, 169 kn) 
 Range: 1,200 mi (1,900 km, 1,000 nmi)
 Endurance: 14 hours fully loaded
 Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,420 m)
 Operational altitude: 25,000 ft (7.5 km)

Development

The General Atomics "Predator B-001", a proof-of-concept aircraft, first flew on 2 February
2001. Abraham Karem is the designer of the Predator. The B-001 was powered by
an AlliedSignal Garrett TPE331-10T turboprop engine with 950 shaft horsepower (710 kW). It had an
airframe that was based on the standard Predator airframe, except with an enlarged fuselage and
wings lengthened from 48 feet (15 m) to 66 feet (20 m). The B-001 had a speed of 220 knots
(410 km/h; 250 mph) and could carry a payload of 750 pounds (340 kg) to an altitude of 50,000 feet
(15,000 m) with an endurance of 30 hours.

The company refined the design, taking it in two separate directions. The first was a jet-powered
version; "Predator B-002" was fitted with a Williams FJ44-2A turbofan engine with
10.2 kilonewtons (2,300 lbf; 1,040 kgf) thrust. It had payload capacity of 475 pounds (215 kg), a
ceiling of 60,000 feet (18 km) and endurance of 12 hours. The USAF ordered two airframes for
evaluation, delivered in 2007.[11] The first two airframes delivered with prototypes B-001 and B-002
(now in the USAF museum at Wright-Patterson AFB). B-002 was originally equipped with the FJ-44
engine but it was removed and a TPE-331-10T was installed so that the USAF could take delivery of
two aircraft in the same configuration.

The second direction the design took was the "Predator B-003", referred to by GA as the "Altair",
which has a new airframe with an 84-foot (26 m) wingspan and a takeoff weight of approximately
7,000 pounds (3,200 kg). Like the Predator B-001, it is powered by a TPE-331-10YGD turboprop.
This variant has a payload capacity of 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg), a maximum ceiling of 52,000 feet
(16 km), and an endurance of 36 hours.

Operataion

MQ-9 Reaper crews (Pilots, Sensor Operators and Mission Intelligence Coordinators), stationed at
bases such as Creech Air Force Base, near Las Vegas, Nevada, can hunt for targets and observe
terrain using multiple sensors, including a thermographic camera. One claim was that the on-board
camera is able to read a license plate from two miles (3.2 km) away.[  An operator's command takes
1.2 seconds to reach the drone via a satellite link. The MQ-9 is fitted with six stores pylons; the inner
stores pylons can carry a maximum of 1,500 pounds (680 kg) each and allow carriage of external fuel
tanks. The mid-wing stores pylons can carry a maximum of 600 pounds (270 kg) each, while the outer
stores pylons can carry a maximum of 200 pounds (91 kg) each. An MQ-9 with two 1,000 pounds
(450 kg) external fuel tanks and 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of munitions has an endurance of
42 hours. The Reaper has an endurance of 14 hours when fully loaded with munitions. The MQ-9
carries a variety of weapons including the GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb, the AGM-114
Hellfire II air-to-ground missiles, the AIM-9 Sidewinder, and the GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack
Munition (JDAM). Tests are underway to allow for the addition of the AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air
missile.

By October 2007, the USAF owned nine Reapers, and by December 2010 had 57 with plans to buy
another 272, for a total of 329 Reapers. Critics have stated that the USAF's insistence on qualified
pilots flying RPVs is a bottleneck to expanding deployment. USAF Major General William Rew
stated on 5 August 2008, "For the way we fly them right now"—fully integrated into air operations
and often flying missions alongside manned aircraft—"we want pilots to fly them." This reportedly
has exacerbated losses of USAF aircraft in comparison with US Army operations. In March 2011,
U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Robert Gates stated that, while manned aircraft are needed, the
USAF must recognize "the enormous strategic and cultural implications of the vast expansion in
remotely piloted vehicles..." and stated that as the service buys manned fighters and bombers, it must
give equal weight to unmanned drones and "the service's important role in the cyber and space
domains.

Design

A typical MQ-9 system consists of multiple aircraft, ground control station, communications
equipment, maintenance spares, and personnel. A military flight crew includes a pilot, sensor
operator, and Mission Intelligence Coordinator. The aircraft is powered by a 950 horsepower
(710 kW) turboprop, with a maximum speed of about 260 knots (480 km/h; 300 mph) and a cruising
speed of 150–170 knots (170–200 mph; 280–310 km/h). With a 66 ft (20 m) wingspan, and a
maximum payload of 3,800 lb (1,700 kg), the MQ-9 can be armed with a variety of weaponry,
including Hellfire missiles and 500-lb laser-guided bomb units. Endurance is 30 hours when
conducting ISR missions, which decreases to 23 hours if it is carrying a full weapons load. The
Reaper has a range of 1,000 nmi (1,150 mi; 1,850 km)[dubious  –  discuss] and an operational altitude of
50,000 ft (15,000 m), which makes it especially useful for long-term loitering operations, both for
surveillance and support of ground troops.

he Predator and Reaper were designed for military operations and not intended to operate among
crowded airline traffic. The aircraft typically lack systems capable of complying with FAA See-And-
Avoid regulations. On 18 May 2006, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a certificate
of authorization allowing MQ-1 and MQ-9 UAVs to fly in U.S. civil airspace to search for survivors
of disasters. In 2005, requests were made for MQ-9s to be used in search and rescue operations
following Hurricane Katrina but, as there was no FAA authorization in place at the time, it was not
used.

An MQ-9 can adopt various mission kits and combinations of weapons and sensors payloads to meet
combat requirements. Its Raytheon AN/AAS-52[multi-spectral targeting sensor suite includes a
color/monochrome daylight TV, infrared, and image-intensified TV with laser rangefinder/laser
designator to designate targets for laser guided munitions. [ The aircraft is also equipped with the Lynx
Multi-mode Radar that contains synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that can operate in both spotlight and
strip modes, and ground moving target indication (GMTI) with Dismount Moving Target Indicator
(DMTI) and Maritime Wide-Area Search (MWAS) capabilities. The Reaper was used as a test bed
for Gorgon Stare, a wide-area surveillance sensor system. Increment 1 of the system was first fielded
in March 2011 on the Reaper and could cover an area of 16 km2 (6.2 sq mi); increment 2,
incorporating ARGUS-IS and expanding the coverage area to 100 km2 (39 sq mi), achieved initial
operating capability (IOC) in early 2014. The system has 368 cameras capable of capturing five
million pixels each to create an image of about 1.8 billion pixels; video is collected at 12 frames per
second, producing several terabytes of data per minute.

Operational Research

On 1 May 2007, the USAF's 432d Wing was activated to operate MQ-9 Reaper as well as MQ-1
Predator UAVs at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The pilots first conducted combat missions in Iraq
and Afghanistan in the summer of 2007. On 28 October 2007, the Air Force Times reported an MQ-9
had achieved its first "kill", successfully firing a Hellfire missile against Afghanistan insurgents in the
Deh Rawood region of the mountainous Oruzgan province. By 6 March 2008, according to USAF
Lieutenant General Gary North, the Reaper had attacked 16 targets in Afghanistan using 500 lb
(230 kg) bombs and Hellfire missiles.

On 17 July 2008, the USAF began flying Reaper missions within Iraq from Balad Air Base. It was
reported on 11 August 2008 that the 174th Fighter Wing would consist entirely of Reapers. By March
2009 the USAF had 28 operational Reapers. Beginning in September 2009, Reapers were deployed by
the Africa Command to the Seychelles islands for use in Indian Ocean anti-piracy patrols.

On 13 September 2009, positive control of an MQ-9 was lost during a combat mission over
Afghanistan, after which the control-less drone started flying towards the Afghan border
with Tajikistan. An F-15E Strike Eagle fired an AIM-9 missile at the drone, successfully destroying
its engine. Before the drone impacted the ground, contact was reestablished with the drone, and it was
flown into a mountain to destroy it. It was the first US drone to be destroyed intentionally by allied
forces.

By July 2010, thirty-eight Predators and Reapers had been lost during combat operations in
Afghanistan and Iraq, another nine were lost in training missions in the U.S. In 2010, the USAF
conducted over 33,000 close air support missions, a more-than-20 percent increase compared with
2009. By March 2011, the USAF had 48 Predator and Reaper combat air patrols flying in Iraq and
Afghanistan compared with 18 in 2007.
As of March 2011, the USAF was training more pilots for advanced unmanned aerial vehicles than for
any other single weapons system. In 2012, the Reaper, Predator and Global Hawk were described as
"... the most accident-prone aircraft in the Air Force fleet."

In October 2011, the USAF began operating Reapers out of Arba Minch Airport in Ethiopia for
surveillance-only operations in Somalia. In 2012, both Reapers and Predators were deployed
in Benghazi, Libya after the attack that killed the US ambassador in that city. In February 2013, the
U.S. stationed a Predator at Niamey to provide intelligence for French forces during Operation
Serval in Mali; it was later replaced by two MQ-9 Reapers. In April 2013, one of these Reapers
crashed on a surveillance flight due to mechanical failure.

On 22 October 2013, the USAF's fleets of MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper UAVs reached 2,000,000
flight hours. The RPA program began in the mid-1990s, taking 16 years for them to reach 1 million
flight hours; the 2 million hour mark was reached just two and a half years later.

CH-5
CASC Rainbow (Cai Hong, abbreviated as CH) is a series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)
developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, an entity under the China Aerospace
Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics is
also known as the 11th Academy of CASC, or 701st Research Institute

The CH-5 is the latest UCAV of the Rainbow series, with a wingspan of 21 metres, a payload of
1,000 kg, a maximum takeoff weight of over 3 tonnes, a service ceiling of 9 km, an endurance of up
to 60 hoursand a range of 10,000 km. Thanks to shared data link it can cooperate with CH-3 and CH-4
drones. It conducted its maiden flight in August 2015 and its first airshow flight (in northern Hebei
province) in July 2017. The drone can carry 16 missiles at a single time. There were also plans to
extend its range up to 20,000 km. Chinese officials claimed the CH-5 Rainbow was similar in
performance to the US MQ-9 Reaper and "may come in at less than half the price." Compared to
the Garrett TPE331 turboprop engine mounted on the Reaper, CH-5 is equipped with an unidentified
turbo-charged piston engine, with less than half the horsepower. This choice limits the maximum
altitude of the CH-5 to 9 km compared to the 12–15 km of the Reaper, but it also extends CH-5's
endurance to 60 hours compared to 14 hour of the Reaper's. Future blocks of CH-5 will be able to stay
in the air for up to 120 hours.
MQ-9B SKY GUARDIAN
The MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI)
possesses a number of unique advantages not found in manned platforms: much longer endurance (40
hours or more based on payload), more affordable, require a fraction of the footprint, effectively
operate at low and high altitude (500 to 40,000 feet), employable in high-risk environments without
concern for loss of aircrew and, like manned platforms, they’re built to be certified to fly in civil
airspace. These attributes, which have been exploited in over-land and largely permissible
environments, are now being tested for multi-domain missions, including maritime surveillance, Anti-
Submarine Warfare (ASW) and broad-spectrum Electronic Warfare (EW), including in high-threat
scenarios. Developments that network the RPA with other land, aerospace and maritime assets are
enabling this role expansion and highlighting the MQ-9B as a true force multiplier.

Operational roles for RPA are in transition in conjunction with changes to U.S. and Allied warfighting
priorities. While support to land forces will remain a core role for these systems, employment focused
on high-end and ‘gray-zone’ warfare (warfare below the threshold of armed conflict including
asymmetric methods, and often involving militia and constabulary forces) in the maritime
environment, are shaping current development priorities for GA-ASI and its customers.

The GA-ASI MQ-9 Medium-altitude, Long-endurance (MALE) series of RPA had their genesis in the
1990s, with an early version of the ‘Predator’ RPA with Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance (ISR) capability. Predator operated over Bosnia in 1995, with more capable, armed
versions commencing operations in the Middle East theatre in 2001. The more advanced USAF MQ-
9A ‘Reaper’ RPA variants followed, along with the U.S. Army’s MQ-1C ‘Gray Eagle’ Unmanned
Aircraft System. Today the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain operate the MQ-9 system with
great success. The Netherlands have also procured the MQ-9 with deliveries to commence in the near
term.

Less well known is the MQ-9′s non-military utility. For example, the U.S. Customs and Border
Protection has effectively employed MQ-9 platforms for both overland and maritime surveillance
activities since 2005. In the past two years, GA-ASI has conducted maritime and civil surveillance
demonstrations in Japan and Europe, with further trials planned for later in 2020. Additionally, the
California Air National Guard has used the MQ-9s with great success combatting forest fires by
identifying hot spots, and providing critical environmental intelligence to allow more targeted and
safer deployment of firefighters and equipment.

Now, production has commenced on GA-ASI’s most advanced RPA variant – the MQ-9B
SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian. The UK and Australia intend to acquire these systems, and the
Government of Belgium has approved Belgian Defense to negotiate the acquisition of GA-ASI’s MQ-
9B. Significant customer interest is also expanding throughout the world. From a coalition
perspective, the MQ-9B is well suited to be networked and interoperable during coalition operations
due to its open system architecture and common communications protocols.

With the focus of U.S. and Allied forces now turning to multi-domain, high-end warfare in the great
power competition, including an increased focus on ‘gray-zone’ warfare, the traditional roles for MQ-
9 series RPA are transitioning to multi-role and multi-domain applications, including maritime
warfare. With this refocus comes an increased requirement for networking and synergies with other
tactical and operational platforms. System testing of these new capabilities is ongoing in operational
environments at various threat levels.

New, Innovative Capabilities

Capability development and the integration of systems for MQ-9 series platforms is proceeding at an
unprecedented pace within GA-ASI to meet U.S. and Allied requirements. The most prominent
developments relate to ASW, EW, IR and EW Self-Protection systems, and advanced networking
solutions, with flight trials on these configurations planned in 2020. Meanwhile, developments to the
baseline MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian, including a Detect and Avoid System (DAAS) to aid in
seamless operations in all classes of airspace, Portable Pre/Post-Flight Equipment (P3E) to enable
austere expeditionary operations, and a range of automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
applications for operations and processing, exploitation and dissemination (PED), are either
operational or nearing completion.

The MQ-9B is ideally suited to operate from a range of airfields throughout the world, including
fields as short as 4,000 feet, by using an Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability (ATLC). ATLC
enhances the MQ-9B’s versatility and employment options due to its small footprint and it only
requires a handful of essential personnel for support. The capability to auto-land at un-surveyed
airfields is also in development by GA-ASI (recently demonstrated by the U.S. Air Force). With such
capabilities, the MQ-9B could operate more flexibly and rapidly reposition between deployed
operating sites, when compared to other strategic Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and
Electronic Warfare (ISREW) and Strike assets. With expanding multi-role capability options, the
MQ-9B offers impressive future employment potential.

Many of GA-ASI’s customers are acquiring a range of very capable ISREW platforms, including the
E-7A Wedgetail, P-8A Poseidon, and the MQ-9B SkyGuardian weapon systems. Operational roles for
these systems overlap in some areas, with each providing an important contribution to the layered and
networked aerospace force. This networked force creates a unique opportunity to maximize cross-
domain capabilities for all. No longer can an Air or Defense Force afford to operate platforms within
a narrow set of roles. With the need to focus more fully on multi-domain, high-end and gray-zone
warfare, with reduced warning times and asymmetric challenges, the requirement for versatility and
flexibility of weapon systems has become more acute.

The acquisition of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian enables a system of Multi-Domain

Operations in direct support of Land, Maritime Surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare, Anti-Surface
Warfare, Strike, EW roles and expeditionary roles. The MQ-9B’s ability to network with other Air,
Sea, Land and Space systems creates an exceptional opportunity to further expand force employment
options.

DRONES IN INDIA

RUSTOM
The DRDO Rustom (English: Warrior) is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance unmanned air
vehicle (UAV) being developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation for the three
services, Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force of the Indian Armed Forces. Rustom is
derived from the NAL's LCRA (Light Canard Research Aircraft) developed by a team under the
leadership of late Prof Rustom Damania in the 1980s. The UAV will have structural changes and a
new engine. Rustom will replace/supplement the Heron UAVs in service with the Indian armed
forces.

Specifications
General characteristics

 Crew: none
 Capacity: 95 kg (209 lb) for Rustom-1 and 350 kg (770 lb) for Rustom-H
 Length: 5.12 m (16 ft 10 in) for Rustom-1 and 9.5 m (31.2 ft)  for Rustom-H
 Wingspan: 7.9 m (25 ft 11 in) and 20.6 m (67.6 ft) for Rustom-1 & Rustom-H respectively
 Height: 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) for Rustom-1
 Empty weight: 720 kg (1,587 lb) for Rustom-1 and 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) for Rustom-H
 Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320 engines Four-cylinder air-cooled horizontally opposed
engine,  , 112 kW (150 hp) for Rustom-I
 Powerplant: 2 × NPO-Saturn 36MT engines  wing-mounted turboprop, 73.55 kW (100 hp)
each for Rustom-H

Performance

 Maximum speed: 150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn) for Rustom-1 and 225 km/h (140 mph) for
Rustom-H
 Cruise speed: 125–175 km/h (78–109 mph, 67–94 kn) for Rustom H
 Ferry range: 1,000 km (620 mi, 540 nmi) for Rustom-H
 Endurance: 12-15 hours (Rustom-1)
24-36 hours (Future solar powered variants)
>24 hr (Rustom 2)

 Service ceiling: 7,900 m (26,000 ft) for Rustom-1 and 10,668 m (35,000 ft) for Rustom-
H
 Range:
o Line of sight: 250 km (160 mi)

o Relay Communication: 350 km (220 mi) for Rustom-H

Design and Development

Rustom-1's basic design is derived from the NAL light canard research aircraft (LCRA). The aircraft
has been named after Rustom Damania, a former professor of IISc, Bangalore who died in 2001.
DRDO decided to name the UAV after him because it is derived from National Aerospace
Laboratories' light canard research aircraft (LCRA) developed under Rustom Damania's leadership in
the 1980s.

With the Rustom MALE UAV project, DRDO intends to move away from traditional ways of
developing products whereby laboratories under DRDO, like the Aeronautical Development
Establishment (ADE), which is involved in this project, develop and finalize the product and transfer
technology to a production agency.

DRDO will follow a practice of concurrent engineering where initial design efforts also take into
consideration production issues, with the production agency participating in the development of the
system right from the design stage. The agency will also follow up issues related to infrastructure and
expertise for the product and its support, thereby overcoming time delays in crucial projects.

Rustom-1 has a wingspan of 7.9 m (26 ft) and weighs 720 kg (1,590 lb), will be launched by the
conventional method and not the launcher as in the case of the DRDO Lakshya. Rustom will be able
to see the enemy territory up to a distance of 250 km (160 mi) and carry a variety of cameras and
radar for surveillance.
Rustom-H, built on a different design, is a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) Unmanned
Aerial Vehicle (MALE UAV), a twin engine system designed to carry out surveillance and
reconnaissance missions. Rustom H will have a payload capacity of 350 kg (770 lb).

The range of advanced technologies and systems include the following:

 Aerodynamic configurations, High aspect ratio wing, Composite airframe integrated with
propulsion system, De-icing system for wings
 Highly reliable systems with built-in redundancy for flight critical systems like flight control
and navigation, data links, power management, - and mission critical payload management
system
 Digital Flight Control and Navigation System, Automatic Take off and Landing (ATOL)
 Digital communication technologies for realizing data links to control and operate the mission
and relay UAVs
 Payloads with high resolution and precision stabilized platforms

NISHANT
The DRDO Nishant is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by India's Aeronautical
Development Establishment (ADE), a branch of Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Armed Forces. The Nishant UAV is primarily tasked with
intelligence gathering over enemy territory and also for reconnaissance, training, surveillance, target
designation, artillery fire correction, damage assessment, ELINT and SIGINT. The UAV has an
endurance of four hours and thirty minutes. Nishant has completed development phase and user trials.

The 380 kg (840 lb) Nishant UAV requires rail-launching from a hydro-pneumatic launcher and is
able to be recovered by a parachute system. Launches at a velocity of 45 m/s are carried out in 0.6
second with 100 kW power and subsequent launches can be carried out in intervals of 20 minutes.
The Mobile Hydro-Pneumatic Launcher (MHPL) system mounted on a Tatra truck weighs 14,000 kg
(31,000 lb) and boasts of a life cycle of 1000 launches before requiring overhaul. Nishant is one of the
few UAVs in the world in its weight-class capable of being catapult-launched and recovered by using
parachute, thus eliminating the need for a runway as in case of conventional take-off and landing with
wheels.

Development

To meet the Army's operational requirement of a RPV (remotely piloted vehicle), it was decided in
September 1988 that DRDO would undertake the indigenous development of the UAV. The General
Staff Qualitative Requirement (GSQR) was finalised by the Army in May 1990. The Nishant RPV
made its first test flight in 1995. In July 1999, for the first time the Indian army deployed its new
Nishant UAV system in the fight against guerilla forces backed by Pakistan in Kashmir Valkey.
Nishant, which had been developed for battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance needs of the Indian
Army, was test flown again in early 2002. The indigenous Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) Nishant
developed by ADE, DRDO had completed its 100th flight by June 15, 2002. The Indian Army has
placed an order for 12 Nishant UAVs along with ground support systems. Nishant Unmanned Aerial
Vehicle (UAV) developed by DRDO for Indian Army was successfully flight tested near Kolar on 20
June 2008. Nishant has completed development phase and user trials. The present flight tests are pre
confirmatory trials before induction into services

Specifications

General characteristics

 Length: 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)

 Wingspan: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
 Gross weight: 350–380 kg (772–838 lb)
 Powerplant: 1 × ALVIS AR-801 , 41 kW (55 hp)
 Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch pusher propeller

Performance

 Maximum speed: 216 km/h (134 mph, 117 kn)

 Range: 100 km (62 mi, 54 nmi)
 Service ceiling: 3,962 m (12,999 ft)

Avionics
45 kg (99 lb) electro-optical, infrared or laser sensors

On Sunday, 5 April 2009 DRDO launched a test flight of the Nishant UAV. The main goal was to test
the performance of the Wankel engine used on the UAV. An abandoned World War II runway at a
village near Kolar played host to the first ever flight of this indigenous rotary engine-powered UAV.
The flight took off on early Sunday morning and climbed to an altitude of 1.8 km (5,900 ft) before
cruising for a duration of 35 minutes. The air vehicle was recovered safely at the intended place at a
dried-up lake, after a total flight duration of 40 min. The engine, a Wankel rotary type, was jointly
designed and developed by National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Vehicle Research and
Development Establishment (VRDE) and Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE). The
provisional flight clearance for the first indigenous prototype engine was given by the certifying
agency, the Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification. The engine was cleared for
flight after rigorous ground endurance test runs. The Wankel engine weighs about 30 kg (70 lb), and
this engine type is known for its high power-to-weight ratio in a single rotor category.

Features

 Day/night capability training vehicle

 Battlefield reconnaissance & surveillance,
 Target tracking and localization
 Artillery fire correction
 All terrain mobility
 Target designation (using integral laser target designator)
 Endurance: 4 h 30 min

ARUA
Ghatak is an autonomous stealthy unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), being developed by
the Defence Research and Development Organisation for the Indian Air Force. The design work on
the UCAV is to be carried out by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). Autonomous Unmanned
Research Aircraft (AURA) was a tentative name for the UCAV. Details of the project are classified.

The UCAV will be capable of releasing missiles, bombs and precision-guided munitions. The

programme is in its project definition stage. The design is in line with what former DRDO chief
controller for Aeronautics said in 2007, that India's combat drone would be a stealthy flying-
wing concept aircraft with internal weapons bay and a turbofan engine.

First flight of a scaled down testbed is scheduled in 2021 and that of a full scale prototype is expected
in 2024-25.

Development and Description

Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft (AURA) was a tentative name for an Indian UCAV
project, but was eventually called the Ghatak UCAV.
The ADA describes the UCAV as a "self-defending high-speed reconnaissance UAV with weapon
firing capability".The UCAV will cruise at medium altitude and will be capable of carrying two or
more guided strike weapons with on-board sensors for targeting and weapon guidance.

The flight control system and data link packages of the UCAV will be created by ADA and Defence
Electronics Application Laboratory.

DRDO's Chief Controller, R&D (aeronautics), Dr Prahlada said, "Capable of flying at altitudes of
30,000 ft (9,144 m) and weighing less than 15 tonnes, the UCAVs will have rail-launching for the
missiles, bombs and PGMs (precision-guided munitions) they will carry." In 2015 Defence
Minister Manohar Parrikar informed Rajya Sabha that UCAV will be powered by a dry Kaveri
engine variant, which will have a thrust of 52 Kilonewton. It is said to employ a fluid thrust
vectoring method

The Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft was a feasibility study started in 2009 with a budget
of ₹12.5 crore (equivalent to ₹25 crore or US$3.5 million in 2019) and successfully completed in
April 2013.

Initial funding of ₹231 crore (equivalent to ₹267 crore or US$37 million in 2019) for the project was
sanctioned by the Government of India in May 2016.

As of March 2017, a full-scale model was being built for testing.

A technology demonstrator called Stealth Wing Flying Testbed (SWiFT) is being developed

by Aeronautical Development Agency and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. It is intended to
develop technologies required in the final Ghatak UCAV. A prototype of the SWIFT is expected to be
flight-tested by 2021 with a NPO Saturn 36MT turbofan engine.

In Q4 of 2020, a small version of delta wing UAV was developed by ADA and  IISc and test flown
in Hosur. The UAV utilised a microjet engine and attained a maximum velocity of 190 kmph during
flight.

ABHYAS
DRDO Abhyas is a high-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT) being built by the Aeronautical
Development Establishment (ADE) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
for the Indian Armed Forces.
Design and Development

The fuselage for the Abhyas was designed by adopting the DRDO Lakshya tow body (not the main
fuselage). The fuselage consists of five sections, namely the nose cone, equipment bay, fuel tank bay,
air intake bay and tail cone. The material for the nose and tail cones are made up of composite
material (GFRP), whereas the material of the equipment bay, air intake bay and fuel tank are made up
of an aluminum steel alloy. The wings and tail plane of the Abhyas have been derived from the
Lakshya by downsizing them, however the wings of the Abhyas are positioned on the upper-side of
the body whereas the Lakshya has under-body wings. For propulsion it is fitted with a gas-turbine
engine, having a thrust of 25 kg, with an endurance of 30–45 minutes. Abhyas is GPS-enabled, has an
on-board flight control computer and a miss-distance indicator. It is also designed for autonomous
flight with the help of an autopilot.

As of January 2013, the proof of concept and pre-project trials were completed. The first experimental
launch (without the main engine) of the Abhyas was held at the Chitradurga Aeronautical Test
Range on 23 June 2012. The gas turbine engine has been identified and integrated on the Abhyas
airframe and its test run with the aircraft fuel system and s-airtake has been completed. The project
was sanctioned with an initial DRDO funding of Rs 150 million and the ADE carry out 15 technology
demonstrators (TDs) over the next two years. After the acceptance of the prototypes or TDs by
the Indian Armed Forces, serial production will start. The Indian Defense Services have also revealed
a combined global tender projecting the requirement of 225 HEAT drones.