Modern technologies in the field of detection and development of fires are developing very rapidly today. The latest developments can surprise not only with their appearance; for example, in the field of extinguishing and eliminating the consequences of natural disasters, they are currently used.

In our article we will tell you about another fundamentally new technology that is being actively introduced and used in the modern world.

Unmanned aircraft can be widely used to solve special problems when the use of manned aircraft is impossible or economically unprofitable:

• inspection of hard-to-reach areas of the border,
• observation of various areas of land and water surface,
• determining the consequences of natural disasters and disasters,
• identifying outbreaks, performing search and other work.

The use of UAVs makes it possible to monitor the situation remotely, without human intervention and without exposing him to danger, over fairly large areas in hard-to-reach areas at a relative low cost.

Types

According to the principle of flight, all UAVs can be divided into 5 groups (the first 4 groups are aerodynamic type vehicles):

• with a rigid wing (aircraft-type UAV);
• with flexible wing;
• with a rotating wing (helicopter-type UAV);
• with a flapping wing;
• aerostatic.

In addition to the UAVs of the five groups listed, there are also various hybrid subclasses of devices, which, based on their flight principle, are difficult to unambiguously attribute to any of the listed groups. There are especially many such UAVs that combine the qualities of aircraft and helicopter types.

With rigid wing (airplane type)

This type of vehicle is also known as a rigid-wing UAV. The lift of these devices is created aerodynamically due to the pressure of air flowing onto the fixed wing. Devices of this type, as a rule, are characterized by a long flight duration, high maximum flight altitude and high speed.

There are a wide variety of subtypes of aircraft-type UAVs, differing in the shape of the wing and fuselage. Almost all aircraft layouts and types of fuselages that are found in manned aircraft are also applicable in unmanned aircraft.

With flexible wing

These are cheap and economical aerodynamic aircraft, in which not a rigid, but a flexible (soft) structure made of fabric, an elastic polymer material or an elastic composite material with the property of reversible deformation is used as a load-bearing wing. This class of UAVs includes unmanned motorized paragliders, hang gliders and UAVs with elastically deformable wings.

An unmanned motorized paraglider is a device based on a controlled wing parachute, equipped with a motorized cart with a propeller for autonomous take-off and independent flight. The wing usually has the shape of a rectangle or ellipse. The wing can be soft, have a rigid or inflatable frame. The disadvantage of unmanned motorized paragliders is the difficulty of controlling them, since the navigation sensors are not tightly connected to the wing. Their use is also limited by the obvious dependence on weather conditions.

Rotating wing (helicopter type)

This type of vehicle is also known as a rotating wing UAV. They are often also called vertical take-off and landing UAVs. The latter is not entirely correct, since in the general case, UAVs with a stationary UAV can also have vertical takeoff and landing.

The lift of this type of aircraft is also created aerodynamically, but not by the wings, but by the rotating blades of the rotor(s). Wings are either absent altogether or play a supporting role. The obvious advantages of helicopter-type UAVs are the ability to hover at a point and high maneuverability, which is why they are often used as aerial robots.

With a flapping wing

UAVs with flapping wings are based on the bionic principle - copying the movements created in flight by flying living objects - birds and insects. Although there are no mass-produced devices in this class of UAVs and they do not yet have practical applications, intensive research is being carried out in this area all over the world. In recent years, a large number of different interesting concepts of small UAVs with flapping wings have appeared.

The main advantages that birds and flying insects have over existing types of aircraft are their energy efficiency and maneuverability. Devices based on imitation of the movements of birds are called ornithopters, and devices that copy the movements of flying insects are called entomopters.

Aerostatic

Aerostatic-type UAVs are a special class of UAVs in which the lifting force is created primarily by the Archimedean force acting on a cylinder filled with a light gas (usually helium). This class is represented mainly by unmanned airships.

An airship is a lighter-than-air aircraft, which is a combination of a balloon with a propulsion device (usually a propeller (propeller, impeller) with an electric motor or internal combustion engine) and an attitude control system. By design, airships are divided into three main types: soft, semi-rigid and rigid. In soft and semi-rigid airships, the shell for the carrier gas is soft, which acquires the required shape only after the carrier gas is pumped into it under a certain pressure.

In soft-type airships, the invariability of the external shape is achieved by the excess pressure of the carrier gas, constantly maintained by balloons - soft containers located inside the shell into which air is pumped. Ballonets, in addition, serve to regulate the lift force and control the pitch angle (differentiated pumping/injection of air into the ballonets leads to a change in the center of gravity of the device).

Semi-rigid airships are distinguished by the presence of a rigid (in most cases along the entire length of the shell) truss in the lower part of the shell. In rigid airships, the invariability of the external shape is ensured by a rigid frame covered with fabric, and the gas is located inside the rigid frame in cylinders made of gas-tight material. Unmanned rigid airships are practically not used yet.

Classification

Some classes of foreign classification are not available in the Russian Federation, light UAVs in Russia have a significantly greater range, etc. According to the Russian classification, which is currently focused primarily only on the military purpose of the devices.

UAVs can be systematized as follows:

1. Short-range micro- and mini-UAVs – take-off weight up to 5 kg, range up to 25-40 km;
2. Light short-range UAVs - take-off weight 5-50 kg, range 10-70 km;
3. Light medium-range UAVs - take-off weight 50-100 kg, range 70-150 (250) km;
4. Medium UAVs – take-off weight 100-300 kg, range 150-1000 km;
5. Medium-heavy UAVs - take-off weight 300-500 kg, range 70-300 km;
6. Heavy medium-range UAVs - take-off weight more than 500 kg, range 70-300 km;
7. Heavy UAVs with long flight duration - take-off weight of more than 1500 kg, range of about 1500 km;
8. Unmanned combat aircraft - take-off weight of more than 500 kg, range of about 1,500 km.

UAVs used

Granad VA-1000

ZALA 421-16E

For technical equipment of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations with unmanned aerial vehicles, Russian enterprises have developed several options; let’s consider some of them:

This is a long-range unmanned aircraft (Fig. 1.) with an automatic control system (autopilot), a navigation system with inertial correction (GPS/GLONASS), a built-in digital telemetry system, navigation lights, a built-in three-axis magnetometer, a module for holding and active target tracking (“ AC module"), a digital built-in camera, a digital broadband video transmitter of C-OFDM modulation, a radio modem with a satellite navigation system (SNS) receiver "Diagonal AIR" with the ability to work without a SNS signal (radio range finder), a self-diagnosis system, a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a sensor current, a propulsion system temperature sensor, a parachute release, an air shock absorber to protect the target load during landing and a search transmitter.

This complex is designed for aerial surveillance at any time of the day at a distance of up to 50 km with real-time video transmission. The unmanned aircraft successfully solves the problems of ensuring the security and control of strategically important objects, allows you to determine the coordinates of the target and quickly make decisions to adjust the actions of ground services. Thanks to the built-in “AS Module”, the UAV automatically monitors static and moving objects. In the absence of a SNS signal, the UAV will autonomously continue to complete the task.

Rice. 1. UAV ZALA 421-16E

ZALA 421-08M

Designed according to the “flying wing” design, this is a tactical-range unmanned aircraft with an autopilot and has a similar set of functions and modules as the ZALA 421-16E. This complex is designed for operational reconnaissance of terrain at a distance of up to 15 km with real-time video transmission. The ZALA 421-08M UAV is distinguished by its ultra-reliability, ease of operation, low acoustic and visual signature and best-in-class target loads.

This aircraft does not require a specially prepared take-off and landing site due to the fact that the take-off is carried out using an elastic catapult, and carries out aerial reconnaissance under various weather conditions at any time of the day.

Transportation of the complex with the ZALA 421-08M UAV to the place of operation can be carried out by one person. The lightness of the device allows (with appropriate preparation) to be launched “by hand”, without using a catapult, which makes it indispensable when solving problems. The built-in “Module AC” allows an unmanned aircraft to automatically monitor static and moving objects, both on land and on water.

Rice. 2. UAV ZALA 421-08M

ZALA 421-22

This is an unmanned helicopter with eight main rotors, medium range, with a built-in autopilot system (Fig. 3). The design of the device is foldable and made of composite materials, which makes it easy to deliver the complex to the place of operation by any vehicle.

This device does not require a specially prepared take-off and landing site due to its vertically automatic launch and landing, which makes it indispensable when conducting aerial reconnaissance in hard-to-reach areas.

It is successfully used to perform operations at any time of the day: to search and detect objects, to ensure the security of perimeters within a radius of up to 5 km. Thanks to the built-in “AC Module”, the device automatically monitors static and moving objects.

Rice. 3. UAV ZALA 421-22

Represents the next generation of DJI quadcopters. It is capable of 4K video recording and HD video output right out of the box. The camera is integrated into the gimbal for maximum stability and weight efficiency in a minimal size. In the absence of a GPS signal, Visual Positioning technology ensures hovering accuracy.

Main functions

Camera and Gimbal: The Phantom 3 Professional shoots 4K video at up to 30fps and takes 12 megapixel photos that look sharper and cleaner than ever. The camera's improved sensor gives you greater clarity, lower noise, and better pictures than any previous flying camera.

HD Video Link: Low latency, HD video transmission, based on the DJI Lightbridge system.

DJI Intelligent Flight Battery: 4480 mAh DJI Intelligent Flight Battery has new cells and uses an intelligent battery management system.

Flight Controller: Next generation flight controller, provides more reliable operation. The new recorder stores data from each flight, and visual positioning allows you to hover accurately at one point in the absence of GPS.

Performance characteristics

BAS Phantom-3

Phantom 3 Professional diagram

Figure 4 – Phantom 3 Professional UAV

Inspire 1

Inspire 1 is a new multicopter capable of recording 4K video and transmitting high definition video (up to 2 km) to multiple devices right out of the box. Equipped with a retractable chassis, the camera can freely rotate 360 ​​degrees. The camera is integrated into the gimbal for maximum stability and weight efficiency with minimal size. In the absence of a GPS signal, Visual Positioning technology ensures hovering accuracy.

Functions

Camera and Gimbal: Captures up to 4K video and 12-megapixel photos. There is space to install neutral density (ND) filters for better exposure control. The new suspension mechanism allows you to quickly remove the camera.

HD Video Link: Low latency, HD video transmission, this is an advanced version of the DJI Lightbridge system. It is also possible to control it from two remote controls.

Chassis: Retractable landing gear allows the camera to take unobstructed panoramas.

DJI Intelligent Flight Battery: 4500 mAh uses an intelligent battery management system.

Flight Controller: Next generation flight controller, provides more reliable operation. The new recorder stores data from each flight, and visual positioning allows you to accurately hover at one point in the absence of GPS.

Figure 5 – Inspire 1 UAV

All characteristics of the UAVs listed above are presented in Table 1 (except for Phantom 3 Professional and Inspire 1 as indicated in the text)

Training for unmanned aerial vehicle operators

Characteristics

Advantages

The following can be distinguished:

• carry out flights under various weather conditions, complex interference (gust of wind, upward or downward air flow, UAV getting into an air pocket, in medium and heavy fog, heavy rain);
• conduct aerial monitoring in hard-to-reach and remote areas;
• are a safe source of reliable information, a reliable examination of the object or suspected territory from which the threat comes;
• allow you to prevent emergencies with regular monitoring;
• detect (forest fires, ) in the early stages;
• eliminate the risk to human life and health.

The unmanned aerial vehicle is designed to solve the following tasks:

• unmanned remote monitoring of forests to detect forest fires;
• monitoring and transmission of data on radioactive and chemical contamination of terrain and airspace in a given area;
• engineering reconnaissance of flood areas and other natural disasters;
• detection and monitoring of ice jams and river floods;
• monitoring the condition of transport highways, oil and gas pipelines, power lines and other objects;
• environmental monitoring of water areas and coastlines;
• determination of the exact coordinates of emergency areas and affected facilities.

Monitoring is carried out day and night, in favorable and limited weather conditions. Along with this, the unmanned aerial vehicle provides a search for technical equipment that has suffered an accident (catastrophe) and missing groups of people. The search is carried out according to a pre-entered flight mission or according to a flight route quickly changed by the operator. It is equipped with guidance systems, on-board radar systems, sensors and video cameras.

During flight, as a rule, control of an unmanned aerial vehicle is automatically carried out through an on-board navigation and control complex, which includes:

• satellite navigation receiver, providing navigation information reception from GLONASS and GPS systems;
• a system of inertial sensors that provides determination of the orientation and movement parameters of an unmanned aerial vehicle;
• a sensor system that provides altitude and airspeed measurements;
• various types of antennas.

The on-board communication system operates in the permitted radio frequency range and provides data transmission from board to ground and from ground to board.

Application Objectives

Can be classified into four main groups:

• emergency detection;
• participation in emergency response;
• search and rescue of victims;
• disaster damage assessment.

In such tasks, the senior operator must optimally select the route, speed and altitude of the UAV flight in order to cover the observation area in the minimum time or number of flights, taking into account the viewing sectors of television and thermal imaging cameras.

In this case, it is necessary to exclude double or multiple flights of the same places in order to save material and human resources.

Nowadays, unmanned aerial vehicles make it possible to solve a wide variety of problems, both in peacetime and on the battlefield. After the war in Georgia, the command of the Russian army drew attention to the insufficient recruitment of UAV troops. Since then, the industry has received an additional boost.

Types of unmanned aerial vehicles

Conventionally, drones are usually divided into three large categories:

• RPV - unmanned remotely piloted vehicles;
• Automatic UAVs;
• Uncontrolled UAVs.

• Heavy - have a ceiling of up to 20 km, can spend more than 24 hours in the air without refueling;
• Medium (sometimes called “midi”) - have a mass of up to 1000 kg, are able to spend 10-12 hours in the air and rise to a height of 9-10 km;
• Mini - 50 kg, can spend several hours in the air, ceiling is limited to 3-5 km;
• Micro - up to 10 kg, they cannot rise above a kilometer for about an hour in the air.

Types of unmanned aerial vehicles are often quite a relative concept. Especially in our time of high technology. Often UAVs appear on the market that do not fit into the usual classification.

Unmanned vehicles of Russia

In the 70-80s of the last century, the USSR was among the leaders in the production of drones; more than 900 Tu-134s alone were produced. But modern realities are such that we are forced to rely on the developments of foreign companies in the production of UAVs. But even taking into account foreign partners, Russian unmanned vehicles are mainly represented by reconnaissance UAVs. The main striking power of Russian aviation is still entrusted to Russian pilots.

Civilian unmanned aerial vehicles are widely used in Russia. It is difficult to list all the areas for which the device of a UAV would not be a real panacea for many ills. Among the main advantages of using drones are their low cost, relatively low fuel and maintenance costs. Patrolling fisheries or forested areas with manned aircraft will cost significantly more. And in the event of abnormal or emergency situations, the loss of a UAV does not pose a threat to human life. Drones are used for reconnaissance of the spread of forest fires, for security and patrolling.

Attack UAVs first appeared back in 1950, in the USA. Unmanned helicopters could, on command, go to the area where the submarine was supposed to be located and drop an anti-submarine torpedo with a homing system. The experiment was considered successful and the drone was in service with the US Navy until 1970. The most popular UAVs are now in service with the American army and are actively used in armed conflicts. These are models of helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicles MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper.

Unmanned vehicles in Russia are now actively being developed at the Sukhoi Design Bureau.

Helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicles

At the moment, unmanned vehicles in Russia are mainly represented by aircraft-type UAVs. However, due to the obvious problems with the use of aircraft in the absence of prepared sites, the need to create a helicopter-type UAV device has long been overdue.

Helicopters are capable of taking off and landing vertically and hovering over a given point. This is important for many UAV applications. At the moment, helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicles are being developed by only a few companies in the world.

We were among the first to appreciate the advantages of helicopter-type UAVs and from us you can purchase the following models of unmanned helicopters:

UAV device

Airplane and helicopter-type drones are extremely useful in civilian life and during military operations. Due to the absence of the need to carry a pilot, UAVs can free up significant volumes for transporting cargo, ammunition, or simply reduce their size and weight. This makes them simply indispensable in reconnaissance.

They also have a weak point. Unlike manned aircraft and helicopters, UAVs are completely dependent on communication channels. It is theoretically possible to give an enemy drone the wrong data, but it is even easier to simply clog the communication channel with interference. That is why many military experts are very skeptical about the use of attack UAVs in the fight against superbly equipped technical opponents. For civilian purposes, drones are often just the perfect solution.

The Technocom Group company sells equipment for unmanned aerial vehicles and the UAVs themselves. We have extensive experience working in Russia and all products are appropriately certified and tested.

Aerial reconnaissance is considered one of the most dangerous combat missions. The enemy hides and protects his important objects with a complex of organizational and technical means, including fire weapons. Aerial reconnaissance is especially dangerous in the initial period of hostilities, when the air defense of one side has not yet been suppressed, and the other side lacks air supremacy. During this period of hostilities, and in subsequent periods, the use of unmanned reconnaissance assets is most justified.

Unmanned aircraft systems aerial reconnaissance systems can be considered expensive, but the information they are capable of obtaining pays handsomely for the costs of their development, production and operation. When using manned aircraft for reconnaissance, even valuable intelligence information will not justify the irreparable losses of flight personnel. A professional pilot is more valuable than any unmanned aerial vehicle. That is why reconnaissance UAVs are the most numerous and most developed type of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Currently, UAVs are recognized as one of the most important means of increasing the combat capabilities of formations, units and subunits of various types and branches of the military. In the interests of ground forces, for example, UAVs can conduct aerial reconnaissance to detect and determine the coordinates of stationary and mobile targets, including tank and mechanized columns, artillery firing positions, multiple launch rocket systems and tactical missiles, command posts, warehouses, air defense systems , field airfields, etc.

Already today, tasks such as mine detection, communication relay, target designation, radio reconnaissance, pipeline and railway diagnostics are solved by UAVs much more successfully than manned aircraft. In addition, UAVs are capable of illuminating targets with a laser beam to control artillery shells with a Copperhead or Krasnopol type laser guidance system, facilitate an accurate assessment of previously caused damage, search for and destroy individual targets, etc.

In addition to destroying important military and industrial facilities, the UAV can conduct reconnaissance of the battlefield and front line, by intercepting signals and messages, collect secret information, and then distribute it among specified “operating units.” UAVs designed for long-range or short-range reconnaissance, surveillance and target designation are adapted for flight through radiation, chemically or bacteriologically contaminated areas.

If the on-board equipment receives signs of radar irradiation, the UAV can automatically change its route in order to mislead enemy air defense systems. Some UAVs can solve such complex problems as improving their own combat characteristics by moving, if necessary, to a more advantageous observation point. However, there is a danger that the enemy can intercept control of the UAV, disarm it, destroy it, misdirect it, and even direct it against its troops.

Unmanned aerial vehicles can become an important element of an aerial reconnaissance system. An example is the American aerial reconnaissance system, temporarily formed for a given time in a given area from AWACS, Jistars, RC-135 Rivet Joint and U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, as well as the Predator UAV (it will be discussed in detail below). The totality of intelligence received from such a system provides an accurate picture of the actions of the opposing sides on the battlefield. The processed information is promptly transmitted to its combat assets, which manage to hit the target before it detects danger.

The high effectiveness of such a system was proven in Afghanistan when transmitting real-time images from the Predator UAV to an AC-130 aircraft during the search for al-Qaeda militants. Equipped with a Hellfire missile, the UAV received command from US Central Command in Florida after detecting the target and destroyed it within minutes. According to the press service of the American command, in the Persian Gulf area, unmanned aerial vehicles Predator and Hunter with weapons on board were used in 2003 to search and destroy targets in the desert areas of Iraq. This is how the Iraqi ZSU-23-4 “Shilka” was discovered and destroyed.

To all of the above, we add that UAVs for their deployment do not require special airfields with developed infrastructure, the loss of an unmanned aerial vehicle is not associated with the almost inevitable loss of pilots, and when using UAVs, such a significant factor as pilot fatigue when performing long and complex flights does not play a role.

Currently, the greatest successes in UAV construction have been achieved by companies in the USA, Israel, France, Germany, Great Britain, China and others. UAVs are also being developed in countries that, in general, cannot be fully classified as leaders in the aviation industry. These are, for example, Belgium, Bulgaria, Holland, India, Iran, Spain, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden, Greece, Poland, Norway, Slovenia, Croatia, Portugal, Austria, Australia, Turkey, Finland, Pakistan, South Korea, North Korea, Tunisia , Thailand.

According to data for the summer of 2003, there were 62 types of UAVs in the armed forces of various states, and 68 types of unmanned aerial vehicles were mass-produced. Among the unmanned aerial vehicles created and developed during the period under review, there were almost 300 original designs.

In many countries, work on military UAVs is coordinated by interested departments and national ministries of defense. Specialists from different countries and companies hold conferences on UAVs to exchange experience, substantiate general requirements for UAVs, develop measures to eliminate parallel work and find ways to expand the combat capabilities of UAVs.

For example, in the United States, the Joint Program Office for the Development of Cruise Missiles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (JPO) and the Defense Air Reconnaissance Office (DARO) are responsible for the development of UAVs, the formation of their promising appearance and the development of the concept of use. The main funding for UAV development is provided by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

In Europe, the Association for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (EURO UVS) was created in 1995. Its members are 12 of the most developed countries in Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa, South Korea, as well as international organizations: NATO, Eurocontrol, European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA).

In the modern world, Israel is one of the recognized leaders in UAV construction. Back in the early 1980s. a subsidiary of the Israeli Aviation Industrial Company (Israel Aircraft Industries, IAI) and the Tadiran company (according to other sources - Silver Arrow), Malat (formerly Mazlat) developed unmanned aerial vehicles for the Israeli army and for sale for export. The Malat enterprise has created the Mastiff family of light UAVs. They were adopted by the Israeli Army and the US Navy.

The Scout and Searcher unmanned aerial vehicles developed by this company were adopted by the Israeli army in 1986. They were actively used by Israel during armed conflicts with neighboring Arab countries and were exported to South Africa and Switzerland. Among Manat's products is the famous Pioneer UAV, with which the US Armed Forces gained experience. Employees of the US Naval Air Systems Center took part in the development of the Pioneer. The Israeli Ranger UAV is in service with the Swiss army.

All of the UAVs described above were made according to a double-beam design with a high wing and one internal combustion engine. The wheeled chassis with the front support was not retractable, and the engine drove the pusher propeller. To take off, unmanned aerial vehicles used a run or catapult launch. During landing, an aerofinisher or a delay net was used. The UAV layout chosen by Israeli specialists turned out to be very successful, and most modern UAVs are built exactly according to this design.

A further development of this scheme was the development of the Malat company - unmanned aerial vehicles Hunter and Searcher. The Hunter UAV was developed jointly with the American company Northrop Grumman. It was delivered to the US Armed Forces in 1995. Later, these UAVs were purchased by Israel, France and Belgium.

The wingspan of the Hunter UAV is 8.9 m, length 6.9 m, height 1.7 m. Empty weight 544 kg, fuel weight 91 kg. Patrol flight speed is less than 165 km/h. The power plant consists of a twin two-cylinder four-stroke piston engine with a power of 2x64 hp. Radio command communication system with real-time data/information transmission. Takeoff like an airplane, using a wheeled landing gear, or takeoff using a rocket booster, landing using a parachute.

The target payload of the Hunter UAV consists of optical and thermal sensors, a laser range finder-target designator, and radiation and chemical reconnaissance equipment. The entire payload is housed in removable modules. The optical systems are installed on a gyro-stabilized rotating platform and have all-round visibility. The UAV is equipped with satellite navigation (GPS). Hunter's typical tasks are reconnaissance, surveillance and target designation on the battlefield and in the near rear, radiation, chemical, biological reconnaissance, and electronic countermeasures.

Development companies have made several modifications to the Hunter UAV. Thus, the Hunter W-ECW had an increased wingspan to 10.4 m, a take-off weight to 820 kg, and its flight duration was 18-21 hours at an altitude of 6100 m. On this UAV, Northrop Grumman tested the “UAV - carrier” concept precision weapons." In the E-Hunter modification, the wingspan was 16.6 m, take-off weight 1000 kg, flight duration up to 40 hours.

Based on the Hunter UAV, the Searcher UAV was created. It is smaller in size. At the end of 1991, this UAV passed flight tests, and in the summer of 1992 it began to enter service with the Israeli Air Force. This UAV was later adopted by Thailand, Singapore and India.

In October 1994, the Heron UAV made its first test flight in Israel. The flight lasted 30 minutes at an altitude of 7700 m. This device, developed by IAI, is designed for real-time aerial reconnaissance, target designation, solving electronic warfare problems and relaying communications. The Heron UAV is equipped with a four-stroke turbocharged piston engine with a power of 100 hp, with which Heron reaches a speed of 225 km/h. The fuel tank is designed for 200 kg of fuel.

In 2000, Israel and NATO developed a plan to coordinate efforts in the field of UAV construction. At the same time, flight tests of the Hornit UAV were carried out in Israel. In June 2001, Israel demonstrated the improved Surcher Mk.II UAV and tested the Harpi anti-radar UAV.

The take-off weight of the Sercher Mk.II UAV is 430 kg, the payload weight is 100 kg, the wingspan is 8.55 m, the ceiling is 6100 m, the flight duration is 15 hours. The UAV payload includes optical and thermal sensors, a surveillance radar, and a satellite navigation system GPS.

With the help of Israeli specialists, the Americans launched the production of the Pioneer UAV for the needs of their Navy and Marine Corps. Their delivery began in 1986. Several squadrons were formed. The Hunter UAV was created in a similar way. However, at the stage of military testing, this UAV showed low reliability. Nevertheless, during the fighting in Kosovo and Iraq, it showed high combat effectiveness. By 2003, Hunter unmanned aerial vehicles had flown 25,000 hours in the armed forces. For the first time in the world, UAVs were equipped with night vision devices.

Just ten years ago, the US Department of Defense did not consider UAVs as a priority investment area. Many military leaders and experts were wary of including these devices in the weapons system. However, a number of reasons contributed to a radical revision of the place and role of UAVs in modern military conflicts:

• significant increase in computing performance;
• the emergence of a new generation of small-sized sensors that provide high resolution and make it possible to detect moving targets in various conditions;
• advances in communications and imaging technologies;
• political guidelines for minimizing losses in manpower and equipment when conducting conflicts of any intensity.

Large-scale development of UAVs capable of performing military missions began around the world in 1996, after a secret US Air Force report was partially released, in which Air Force leadership declared UAV technology promising for three decades to come.

In the second half of the 1990s. In the USA, on the instructions of the ground forces, navy and marine corps, the Outrider UAV was very actively developed. In the fall of 1996, it was tested. It was a small and cheap unmanned aerial vehicle capable of conducting tactical reconnaissance in the front-line zone. Already at an altitude of 900 m, the sound of its running engine was inaudible from the ground. The Outrider UAV was intended to remain in the air for a long time in order to collect information necessary to control artillery, attack aircraft and maneuverable units of ground forces.

It is the need for a long stay in the air that explains the placement of an additional supply of fuel on the UAV and the implementation of the “biplane” design. The wingspan of only 3.38 m allowed the Outrider to be placed in small volumes when transported by aircraft carriers or landing amphibians.

The large offset of the upper wing consoles relative to the lower ones makes the UAV resistant to entering a spin and increases the rate of climb. The UAV took 3 minutes to take off and 2 minutes to land. The UAV has a flight range of 200 km, an altitude of about 1500 m, and can patrol at a speed of 110-140 km/h for almost five hours. In the event of a loss of communication, the Outrider could either continue executing a given program in autonomous mode, or set a course for the base until communication was established. After this, the UAV could continue performing its main task. However, for unknown reasons, in 1999 the program to create the Outrider UAV complex was canceled.

As of December 2002, the United States had 95 types of unmanned aerial vehicles for various purposes in service. However, the US military also operates other types of UAVs. These are training unmanned aerial vehicles and UAVs for testing various systems and sensors. In particular, 82 BQM-147 Exdrone UAVs (take-off weight 40 kg) are in operation. Over 500 of these UAVs were built. They were used for jamming and visual reconnaissance. Currently, the BQM-147 Exdrone UAV is used by the Army and Air Force to train operators.

To train operators and test various mini-sensors, the US Armed Forces use almost 100 FQM-151 Pointer UAVs. These unmanned aerial vehicles are hand-launched and have a take-off weight of 4.5 kg. FQM-151 Pointer UAVs were actively used during combat operations in the Persian Gulf in 1991. They were also used in US National Guard operations, special forces and Drug Enforcement Administration operations.

The United States Department of Defense has developed a schedule for equipping troops with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), providing for the adoption of appropriate unmanned systems by each branch of the armed forces. The US Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) was tasked with developing doctrine and tactics for integrating UAVs into the armed forces, with an emphasis on using existing unmanned aerial vehicle systems and exploring the possibilities of their joint and cross-use in the interests of different types of aircraft.

In addition, UAVs are in service with sabotage and reconnaissance formations of US special operations forces, which, during a threatened period, can be thrown deep into the rear of a potential enemy.

To solve tactical problems under the TUAV program, the US ground forces chose the Shadow-200 UAV (according to other materials, this name sounds like “Shadow”). The US Secretary of Defense announced to the US Congress in his 2002 message: “The Army plans to field the Shadow-200 tactical UAV, designed for brigade-level missions. Currently, the program for equipping the ground forces with the Shadow-200 UAV is in the stage of small-scale production... In total, it is planned to purchase 44 reconnaissance systems with the Shadow UAV, each of which includes three devices. These devices are equipped with optical-electronic and infrared equipment and are capable of patrolling in the air for up to 6 hours. Planned work to improve them includes upgrading the on-board equipment and installing a new TCDL data link and updating the TCS control system software...” The existing Hunter UAVs will be in operation while the Shadow vehicles enter service.

The RQ-7A Shadow-200 UAV complex is transported on board the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft. The UAV has been modified. The Shadow-200-T modification, in addition to reconnaissance missions, can determine the results of the use of artillery and conduct chemical reconnaissance. The Shadow-400 UAV is distinguished by its increased dimensions (wing span 5.15 m) and horizontal tail with two end fins. Its take-off weight is 200 kg. The Shadow-400 UAV conducts not only species reconnaissance. It carries out electronic reconnaissance and target designation, and is used in the interests of the Navy and Marine Corps during amphibious operations. The Shadow-600 UAV has a wingspan of 6.8 m, a take-off weight of 265 kg and is designed for patrolling for 12-14 hours at a distance of up to 200 km. It differs from the base model in the swept end sections of the wing. The Shadow-600 UAV is designed to replace the Pioneer UAV.

The US Department of Defense has developed a concept for arming individual military personnel with mini-unmanned aerial vehicles. One of these UAVs is being developed for US Marine Corps units. It is called Dragon Eye and will be equipped with a small-sized aerial surveillance system. The complex is being developed by the US Navy Research Laboratory and was supposed to enter service in 2004. This UAV is intended to obtain reconnaissance information in real time in the interests of a platoon and company in areas of amphibious landing operations. Dragon Eye can be used both in open areas and in urban environments on enemy territory. It is hand-launched and its control station is carried by a single operator.

The technical characteristics of the Dragon Eye UAV are as follows: reconnaissance duration 30 minutes, terrain survey altitude 300 m, reconnaissance range 10 km, payload weight 2 kg, control station weight up to 4 kg, flight speed 65 km/h. Reconnaissance is carried out in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mode. In semi-autonomous mode, the operator has the ability to adjust the flight route, direct the shooting, and enlarge its scale.

Detection of this “drone” by the enemy in the radar and optical range of the spectrum is difficult, since it is made of lightweight composite materials. The noiselessness of the UAV is ensured by electric motors. Aerial photography of the earth's (water) surface is carried out by three optoelectronic cameras with high resolution - during the day, with medium resolution - at night, and in difficult weather conditions, aerial photography is carried out in the infrared range of the spectrum. The flight control of the Dragon Eye UAV is carried out through the NAVSTAR navigation system. In 2000, a prototype of this UAV was tested in the border areas of Kosovo.

The Research Laboratory and the US Naval Air Systems Center are creating a series of UAVs designed for electronic warfare at sea and in the coastal zone (Extender, Iger), as well as for various types of reconnaissance: chemical (Finder), biological (Swallow) and species ( Sisken, LADF). The concept of using the Finder unmanned aerial vehicle involves placing it on the pylons of the Predator strike UAV. The Finder unmanned reconnaissance aircraft enters enemy airspace to a depth of 100 km to collect air samples for two hours, followed by entering a given area and landing. The Swallow UAV operates on a similar principle.

In addition to ground-based (stationary and mobile) and ship-based UAVs, air-based UAVs are being actively developed. Some of the “drones” mentioned above (for example, the Extender UAV is adapted for launches from an ER-ZE aircraft and from helicopters) have already been tested for launch from an air carrier. The results of such tests made it possible for the US Air Force to develop the concept of a UAV launched from an F-22 aircraft, made according to . According to the authors of the concept, such a device should be launched at supersonic flight speed and patrol over the area of ​​​​military operations for 12 hours. A UAV of this type must have sufficient weapons to destroy detected important enemy targets.

As part of the same project, Boeing is beginning to develop a qualitatively new type of UAV that will perform the tasks of a “networked data storage device.” At the same time, this UAV will serve as a communications center for the Air Force group. On the basis of this UAV, a “drone” fuel tanker will also be created. Both types of UAVs will operate in conjunction with the F-22 fighter.

An application to the above concept is the proposal to launch three or four small-sized UAVs from the F-22 fighter, the release altitude of which will be 9100-12100 m, the carrier speed 1.1-1.2M. After the release, the devices descend to a height of 300-900 m and each fly in their own specified area or along an arbitrary course. UAVs are united into a single network, can exchange information and transmit coordinates of detected targets to ground control points. After identifying a priority target, all UAVs can be sent to its area and receive a command to either destroy the target or continue surveillance. Most likely, the optimal target for this method of combat use of UAVs will be the destruction of moving tank columns.

UAV TS 1B Merlin was developed in the USA. It has a high wing and a two-cylinder engine with a two-blade pusher propeller. The unmanned aerial vehicle is made of lightweight plastic. It can take off from a flat ground area or be launched from a launcher mounted on a truck. Under favorable conditions, landing is carried out on the aircraft landing gear; otherwise, a parachute rescue system is used. It is also planned to launch this unmanned reconnaissance aircraft from a light manned carrier aircraft.

Weight of the 1B Merlin vehicle (without fuel and equipment) 15 kg, payload 12 kg, wingspan 2.45 m, length 2.4 m. Flight duration 2 hours, range 250 km, speed from 100 to 150 km/h, ceiling 4877 m. A color image television camera (variable focal length - 90 or 180 mm), a telemetry information transmitter and radar identification system equipment are mounted in the nose of the aircraft.

The aircraft is controlled by radio from a ground mobile station, but the aircraft can fly along a programmed route using the autopilot. Up to 18 routes are simultaneously entered into the on-board control system. For long-range control, simultaneously with the reconnaissance aircraft, there is a command relay aircraft in the air, which differs from the first only in the set of equipment.

Boeing, together with Insitu Group, has developed several small UAVs. One of these developments is Scan Eagle. This UAV made its first flight in April 2002. In January 2003, it took part in the US Navy's Giant Shadow naval maneuvers in the Bahamas. During the exercises, the possibility of transmitting information over a multi-channel line via a communications satellite was demonstrated.

This unmanned aerial vehicle has a high-swept wing with vertical fin tips and a single piston engine with a pusher propeller. The engine is characterized by extremely low fuel consumption, which allows the UAV to remain in the air for up to 15 hours. The launch of this UAV is carried out from a pneumatic catapult using a software device. From the moment of takeoff until landing, the flight takes place autonomously. It is possible to reprogram the task in flight the required number of times. This UAV can detect moving and stationary targets.

To land the Scan Eagle-A UAV, a special Skyhook pick-up device is used, consisting of a 15 m long rotating boom and a system of rubber bands. The device can be mounted permanently, on a wheeled or tracked chassis, or on board a ship.

Until recently, when breaking through an air defense zone, only anti-radar missiles (ARMs) were used to destroy radio-emitting anti-aircraft fire control systems. However, the experience of their use has revealed a number of disadvantages: short flight time, damage to radars operating only in radiation mode, suspension of the PRR to the carriers to the detriment of strike weapons, etc.

In the 1990s. In the USA, the development of anti-radar UAVs (AR UAVs) began. These aircraft with a take-off weight from 100 to 1500 kg have a homing head and a high-explosive fragmentation warhead. PR UAVs have a high degree of stealth, they can be programmed to fly along a specific route for a free search, and the PR UAV equipment allows for autonomous flight in conditions of complex interference. A distinctive feature of PR UAVs is their disposability. Their design is adapted for aerodynamic stabilization during a dive.

The American program to develop a cheap and low-speed anti-aircraft UAV capable of staying in the air for a long time is called “Seek Spinne”. Such a UAV was planned to be created on the basis of the serial PR UAV Brawe-200. The Brawe-200 unmanned aerial vehicle is small in size and has folding wings. The engine used is a cheap two-stroke piston engine. The maximum take-off weight of such a PR UAV is 120 kg, including payload and fuel. The device is equipped with a computer, autopilot and navigation system. The equipment includes a passive radar-type seeker, capable of detecting and capturing radar signals for automatic tracking in milliseconds. The accuracy of the guidance signals is 2°, which is quite enough for the UAV to hit the emission point.

The Brawe-200 PR UAV can be stored for a long time in a special container. A total of 15 UAVs can be placed in the container. The container can be installed on an off-road truck, a railway platform, a trailer or directly on the ground. The combat crew consists of two people. The Brawe-200 PR UAV is capable of flying at a speed of 225 km/h at an altitude of over 3000 m. Its maximum distance from the control point is 650 km, and the maximum time in the air is 5 hours.

When a emitting radar is detected, Brawe-200 dives towards it. If the radar stops emitting before it is hit, the UAV is transferred to horizontal flight in search mode. Several search areas are entered into the memory of the Brawe-200 UAV in advance in case no radars are detected in the main area.

The development of helicopter-type UAVs in the United States has also reached a high level. Several types can be cited as examples.

The tactical reconnaissance UAV RQ-8A Firescout is based on the light manned helicopter Schweitzer 333 using traditional technology and a single-rotor design. The basis of the on-board radio-electronic equipment consists of television and thermal imaging cameras, a laser rangefinder-target designator, communication and navigation equipment. The flight of the UAV is carried out according to operator commands or autonomously. Its mass with payload is about 1200 kg, service ceiling is over 6000 m, maximum flight speed is 200 km/h, flight duration is 4 hours, range is 200 km. It is planned to purchase 120 such devices by 2010.

The reconnaissance vehicles Dragon Warrior and Cypher-2 are being developed on a competitive basis. For this reason, their characteristics are very similar: weight with payload 120-135 kg, service ceiling 3500-4000 m, maximum flight speed 230-250 km/h, flight duration 3-4 hours, range 50 km. Both UAVs will operate in the interests of Marine Corps units, units and formations.

A distinctive feature of the Cypher-2 UAV (developed by Sikorsky) is the ring shape of its body. This UAV is equipped with a lifting fan, a pusher propeller and a wing. When conducting combat operations in the city, the wing can be dismantled. In addition to traditional tasks (reconnaissance, relay, search for minefields, transportation of small cargo), Cypher-2 is adapted for the delivery of non-lethal weapons.

It is assumed that these weapons will be used during “peacekeeping” operations to neutralize concentrations of aggressive populations in urban and rural areas. Such weapons may include ammunition filled with tear gas; elements of wire fencing systems; means limiting or constraining the movement of human masses, etc.

An interesting development of a helicopter-based UAV is the high-altitude unmanned helicopter A160 Hammingbird (USA). It is designed for reconnaissance of strategic targets, target designation, relay, assessment of the results of fire damage and electronic warfare in the interests of front-line command and command of special operations forces.

According to the tasks, the characteristics of the A160 Hamingbird UAV are also impressive: take-off weight 2000 kg, payload weight 150 kg, maximum flight range 5500 kg, flight duration 24-36 hours, maximum flight speed 260 km/h, service ceiling 16800 m. Flight of this UAV can be carried out in automatic and semi-automatic modes.

Since 2001, the Haminbird UAV has undergone complex and varied flight tests, in which at least three vehicles crashed. In August 2010, two Hammingbirds were delivered to Belize to test the ability to overcome jungle vegetation. For these purposes they were equipped with special radars. A week later, one device crashed and the tests were stopped.

Since 1998, Boeing, in the interests of the US Marine Corps, has been developing a multi-purpose UAV designed according to the rotor-wing design. The device has received the preliminary name Dragonfly and will be capable of conducting aerial reconnaissance, radio and electronic reconnaissance, relaying radio communications and, in addition, performing strike and transport missions, as well as electronic warfare tasks during classic and special naval operations on the high seas and the coastal zone. The maximum take-off weight of this UAV will be 12 tons, payload weight - 1000 kg, flight range up to 2000 km, radius of action 200 km, flight duration 3 hours, flight speed in helicopter mode 110 km/h, in airplane mode 700 km/h. A prototype of the Dragonfly UAV was manufactured using a single-rotor design with a two-bladed main rotor.

The experience of using multinational forces in the Persian Gulf in 1991 during the air offensive Operation Desert Storm showed that the allies were unable to timely determine the location of the launch positions of Iraqi Scud tactical ballistic missiles and a number of other important objects. To detect such targets and monitor them for a long time, the United States began to develop special unmanned aerial vehicles capable of flying for long periods of time at high altitudes and transmitting the necessary information in real time.

The Americans began developing such a UAV back in the mid-1980s, when Leading Systems, on instructions from the Air Force and the CIA, developed a project for an unmanned vehicle designed to carry out secret operations. The project of such a UAV was named Amber, and this device was adopted as a replacement for the Lockheed U-2/TR-1 manned reconnaissance aircraft. It was an aircraft with a high aspect ratio straight wing, an inverted V-shaped tail and a single piston engine driving a pusher propeller.

Amber's first flight took place in 1988. Some flights were carried out as part of the secret Skydancer program, which was carried out by the National Security Agency. Almost all flight test results are still classified. It is only known that in one of the flights Amber was in the air for 38 hours and 27 minutes. 13 “drones” were manufactured for flight and military testing. They made more than 140 flights and flew over 600 hours.

Leading Systems has developed a whole family of Amber UAVs. Amber-1 is a medium-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, Amber-N was intended for flights at high altitudes, Amber-SH is an operational-tactical reconnaissance aircraft. Amber-IV was developed for high-altitude and long-duration flights. Stealth Amber differed from previous UAVs in the use of “stele” technology. In addition, its wing had attachments for mounting two Hellfire ATGMs or air-to-air guided missiles.

The Altus UAV was created for NASA and the Department of Energy. He participated in the ERAST program, which involved studying the state of the atmosphere and testing various sensors. To train operators involved in controlling unmanned aerial vehicles, the GNAT400BT UAV was created. 13 devices were built, five of which were delivered to the operator training center in El Mirage (California), where there was also a test base. Until the beginning of 2001, these UAVs made over 1,150 takeoffs and landings. In 1988, Leading Systems, under a contract with DARPA, designed a more advanced GNAT 750 device based on the Amber-1 UAV.

The GNAT 750 unmanned aerial vehicle had a low-lying high aspect ratio wing (span 10.7 m), an inverted V-shaped tail and a retractable wheeled tricycle landing gear. Wing - with two units for suspending special loads (including weapons) weighing 68 kg. The design included measures to reduce the ESR. The Rotax 582 piston engine had a power of 65 hp. and drove a pusher propeller. The GNA T 750 UAV was capable of continuously conducting reconnaissance for 40 hours in an area remote from the launch site at a distance of up to 2800 km. Serial production of the GNAT 750 UAV began in October 1989.

In 1990, Leading Systems went bankrupt, and further work on its projects began to be carried out by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (“GAASI”).

The GAASI company has improved the GNAT 750 UAV. The following facts speak about its advantages. In July 1992, one of the copies of this UAV was in the air for more than 40 hours. In March 1997, another long flight took place, during which control of the device was transferred, as if by relay, from one control point to another. In November 1997, GNAT 750 took part in multi-day maneuvers for the US Navy, and for the first time it was controlled from the amphibious assault helicopter carrier Tarawa.

In the summer of 1993, the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces issued a request for the urgent development of a reconnaissance UAV to carry out missions in the airspace of Bosnia and Serbia as part of UN peacekeeping forces. It was decided to use the GNAT 750 UAV for these purposes.

In 1998-1999 Several more improvements were made to the GNAT 750 UAV. The improved UAV was called I-GNAT, characterized by an increased wing span (12.86 m) and a take-off weight of 703 kg. A special feature of the I-GNAT UAV is the presence of four underwing and one ventral assembly for external suspensions. The mass of the target load that can be placed on these units is almost 160 kg.

It is known about the existence of a special GNAT-XP UAV, information about which is still classified. Interestingly, these UAVs were built in a limited series. In the United States, they were purchased by the ground forces, the CIA, the Ministry of Environment and other government organizations (more than 10 GNAT 750 devices), six of the same UAVs were purchased by Turkey. It is also known that 12 I-GNAT UAVs were delivered, and they were transferred to two anonymous buyers.

In January 1994, GAASI signed a contract worth $31.7 million for the development and construction of 10 UAVs and three ground command posts. Thus, the Predator appeared (in the Russian press there are various spellings of the name of this UAV - Predator, Predator, Predator or Predator). Its first flight took place on July 3, 1994. In October of the same year, three UAVs and one command post were handed over to the customer.

For those interested in the Predator UAV and its various variants, we recommend that you read the thorough article by Viktor Belyaev “The Predator Goes Hunting” (Aviation and Cosmonautics magazine No. 1, 2005). Below we note the main features of the Predator UAV family. It is also of interest that the US Department of Defense believes that it was the Predator UAV that allowed the US armed forces to step into the 21st century - the age of information technology.

In May-June 1996, an attempt was made to use Predator in the interests of the Navy. During naval exercises in the California area, the flight of this UAV was controlled from a submarine.

Its armed version MQ-1L differs from the usual Predator by the placement under the nose of the fuselage of a spherical turret, inside of which there is a multi-spectral targeting system “Raytheon-AN/A5S-52 (V), which includes a laser rangefinder-target designator, a heat direction finder and optoelectronic sensors.

In August 2002, the FINDER mini-UAV was launched from the RQ-1L UAV at the flight test center at Edwards Air Force Base. A small device weighing about 26 kg was sent on an independent flight at an altitude of 3000 m. The Predator can carry two FINDER UAVs under its wing.

In order to increase the survivability of the Predator UAV, GASI, on behalf of the Air Force, developed its improved version called Predator-V. It is capable of flying at higher altitudes with increased speed and carrying a heavier target load, including combat ones. The first flight of the new Predator took place in February 2001.

In June 2004, the first production Predator-B, which received the military designation MQ-9, was already manufactured. The armament of the MQ-9 Predator-B UAV may include AGM-114 Hellfire guided missiles, Stinger air-to-air missiles, guided bombs and small LOCASS cruise missiles. Thanks to the high payload capacity of this UAV, the US military has high hopes for it, considering it as a carrier of precision weapons.

The GAASI company proposed to develop a special reconnaissance and attack vehicle Predator-S based on the MQ-9 Predator-B UAV. As part of this proposal, in April 2004, the company tested the release of two laser-guided GBU-12 and Paveway-II bombs weighing 227 kg from the Predator-B UAV. According to subsequent reports, both bombs hit stationary targets.

A naval version of the Predator (Predator B-ER - Extended Range), called Altair, has also been developed. After testing it, the Navy command decided to purchase the first batch of such UAVs, giving them the name Mariner. A distinctive feature of the Mariner is the teardrop-shaped ventral fairing of the Seaview all-round marine radar with a synthetic aperture, as well as an additional conformal fuel tank (designed for 910 kg of fuel) above the wing center section.

At the beginning of July 2004, the Mariner UAV took part in demonstration flights off the southern coast of Alaska, carried out in the interests of the US Coast Guard. For these flights, the device was equipped with an automatic identification system “AIS” and a thermal imager. With their help, he detected surface targets in coastal waters in real time and transmitted information to a ground point. Due to its larger fuel reserve, Mariner can make non-stop flights over a distance of more than 15,400 km, and also stay in a given area for over 24 hours at a distance of up to 3,700 km from its home base.

Currently, the strategic reconnaissance UAV Global Hawk, developed by Northrop Grumman (USA) as one of the most important elements of a unified global multi-position information system of the C 3-1 class (command, communications, control and reconnaissance), which includes unmanned, manned and space assets.

During the assessment of the functionality of the Global Hawk, it demonstrated the ability to remain in the air for a long time and conduct species-specific reconnaissance and surveillance. The technical parameters and flight characteristics of the device were assessed during numerous exercises of the US armed forces. In particular, the UAV flew from the state of Florida to the coast of Portugal, took photographs in a given area and returned to the airbase of departure. In March 2001, the Global Hawk UAV crossed the Pacific Ocean (13,840 km at an altitude of 20 km) in 22 hours and landed in Australia.

This UAV was designed to operate for 40 hours or more with a range of 25,000 km with a ceiling of 18 km. Essentially, this is an unmanned U-2 designed for fast and high-altitude monitoring of the theater of operations, while, for example, the Dark Star UAV is designed for covert penetration into a war zone. The Global Hawk will have a moving target sensor, a capability so far only available to the U-2 and aircraft equipped with a universal combat target acquisition radar.

In addition to purely reconnaissance missions, the Global Hawk UAV has up to 20 modifications, the tasks of which include: electronic warfare, electronic reconnaissance, early detection of stealth cruise missiles and operational-tactical ballistic missiles, non-strategic missile defense in the theater of operations, etc.

The current characteristics of the Global Hawk UAV are not the limit. Thus, its modification Block 20 has a flight duration of 36 hours and a ceiling of 21 km. This UAV is capable of producing detailed surveys of the earth's surface with an accuracy of about 30 cm, while continuously transmitting data via satellite communication channels to the US Air Force command post for processing and decision-making.

Global Hawk UAVs have been used in Afghanistan. By the way, one device crashed there as a result of an accident. In Iraq in March-April 2003, with the help of this unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, 55% of Iraqi “sensitive” objects were discovered, i.e. those that are “open” to attack for a very short time. In short, UAVs of this type will allow the United States to gain an important advantage - constant and secret surveillance of any region of the planet, as well as a serious set of reserve capabilities for military use.

The US Navy command is studying the possibility of using the Global Hawk UAV to fight submarines and surface ships, the possibility of fighting ground targets, laying minefields, and conducting visual, radio and electronic reconnaissance. In addition, the BAMS unmanned aerial vehicle is being developed based on the Global Hawk and Mariner unmanned aerial vehicles. This UAV must provide round-the-clock surveillance of the maritime zone for at least 36 hours at a patrol altitude of about 16 km. The patrol radius is at least 2800 km. The equipment of the BAMS UAV is planned to include a 360-degree radar with a range of 200 km, electronic reconnaissance and relay equipment. In total, the US Navy plans to purchase 50 BAMS UAVs. The European Union has announced plans to create a similar reconnaissance UAV - the Euro Hawk.

In addition to Israel and the United States, other countries are also paying increased attention to equipping their aircraft with unmanned aerial vehicles. For example, the German Ministry of Defense plans to significantly expand the scope of UAVs and use them not only for reconnaissance, surveillance and solving a number of dangerous tasks for security purposes, but also to destroy air and ground targets. At the same time, UAVs can operate both in the airspace above the front line and up to 300 km into the depth of enemy defenses.

One of these unmanned vehicles, the Dornier anti-radar UAV, is designed to detect and destroy emitting radars. The span of its delta wing is 2 m, the maximum take-off weight is 110 kg, the flight speed is up to 250 km, the duration of stay in the air is 4 hours. The Dornier UAV is designed taking into account storage, transportation and launch from a standard container.

The German anti-radar Tukan UAV in air offensive operations is assigned the main role of destroying a continuous and multi-tiered radar field by “cutting” corridors in it. This is an aircraft with a two-stroke piston engine and a pusher propeller. The launch container stores 20 of these UAVs. The container is installed on an off-road vehicle.

The German company Dornier is also developing helicopter-type UAVs. This is the Simos UAV. The main task of the Simos UAV is to monitor maritime space, support combat operations of naval strike groups, and also support the actions of special naval units in the coastal zone. Currently, tests of this UAV are being carried out, during which its take-off and landing on the deck of a ship are being practiced.

The German Typhoon reconnaissance and attack UAVs, which have been in development since the mid-1990s, may pose a potential danger to the Russian Armed Forces. In the "Independent Military Review" dated September 12, 1996, this UAV is called an "unmanned cruise missile." This weapon is automatic and irrevocable. Since this UAV is supposed to be used in the form of mass launches like a swarm of bees, its other name is Combat Drones.

It is designed to search for and destroy autonomous ICBM launchers, armored vehicles, command posts, headquarters and other important stationary and mobile objects. A cumulative fragmentation charge weighing 20 kg is used as a warhead. Flight control is carried out autonomously or in semi-automatic mode with correction according to the contour of the terrain according to the NAVSTAR system. The patrol time of the Typhoon UAV behind enemy lines is 4 hours at an altitude of 4000 m, 200-250 km from the launch site.

An interesting German development was the experimental designs of the anti-tank UAV PAD (Panzer Abwehr Drohne) and the anti-radar UAV KDAR (Kleindrohne Antiradar). Such devices searched for targets at a distance of 200 km from the front line using on-board programs. After independently detecting the target, it was captured and the airborne weapon was aimed at it. The flight time of these UAVs, according to customer requirements, must be at least 3 hours.

In the early 1980s. An agreement was concluded between Germany and France on the joint development of a tactical unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. For this purpose, the Eurodrone joint venture was created, which included the French company Matra and the German STN Atlas. In France, the UAV being developed was designated ALT, and in Germany - KZO Brevel.

The Brevel UAV is designed according to the “tailless” design. It has a folding straight wing with a span of 3.4 m, equipped with a thermal anti-icing system, a starting solid rocket motor and a sustainer piston engine with a power of 30 hp. The weight of the UAV is 160 kg, the flight duration exceeds 3.5 hours. The UAV is equipped with a thermal imaging surveillance system. From an altitude of 2000 m, the Brevel UAV equipment can detect and identify targets such as a jeep car. The noise-resistant station transmits video images to a ground station at a distance of up to 130 km. If it is impossible to broadcast the image, it is recorded by the on-board video recorder.

In Great Britain, the Phoenix UAV complex was developed by order of the ground forces. Its main tasks are battlefield reconnaissance, surveillance, detection, recognition, real-time tracking and target designation around the clock in the interests of the artillery regiment and multiple launch rocket systems. In addition, the Phoenix UAV may be tasked with carrying out electronic reconnaissance, electronic suppression, suppression of air defense systems, relay, radiation, chemical, and bacteriological reconnaissance.

The main elements of the flight section as the main tactical unit are a Land Rover vehicle for searching and rescuing UAVs, a bulletproof control center based on a four-ton truck, a communications terminal, a vehicle launcher, a trailer with a power supply unit, and a Phoenix UAV. A UAV troop platoon consists of two or three flight sections. Each artillery regiment of a combined arms division of the British Army includes a UAV platoon. In order to increase the survivability of the flight section, crews are usually dispersed over the area. Thus, the communication terminal can be located at a distance of up to 1 km from the control point, and the launcher - up to 20 km.

After France refused to participate in the development of the Brevel UAV, the German company SIN Atlas independently brought the UAV to mass production. It is produced in a reconnaissance version (KZO) and REP (Mücke).

The development of the Phoenix UAV complex took 12 years. This UAV replaced the CL-59 Midge UAV. The Phoenix UAV has low visual, radar, infrared and acoustic signature. It is made of composite materials, vehicle length 3.4 m, wingspan 4.2 m, launch weight 140 kg, flight time 4 hours, range 50 km, cruising speed 110-155 km/h, ceiling 12750 m, life cycle 15 years.

The replaceable container, which weighs 45 kg, includes: a thermal imaging camera, a telephoto lens with a variable focal length and magnification of 2.5-10 times, a 16-bit processor, automatically switching front and rear data antennas, providing 100% classified communications . Depending on the tasks being solved during the UAV flight, the automatic scanning mode can be used according to the location angle or with a preset angle of inclination to the horizon. The Phoenix UAV has been adopted by the British and Dutch ground forces.

At the end of the 1990s. The UK's Defense Research and Assessment Agency (DERA) conducted experiments with the XRAE-1 UAV to help the Ministry of Defense formulate its requirements for a UAV that could complement the Phoenix system.

Currently, a lot of work on unmanned aerial vehicles is being carried out in France. Interest in such aircraft among the leaders of the French military department increased after the NATO war against Yugoslavia. As is known, after this war, NATO representatives stated that they were faced with the problem of an insufficient number of air systems to collect intelligence information.

In France, several companies are involved in the field of reconnaissance UAVs. Altek Industries developed the UAV Mart. It is designed for aerial reconnaissance and battlefield surveillance. Subsequently, this UAV was modernized: the range and resolution of the on-board optoelectronic equipment were increased, a television camera and an REP station, and a high-precision location receiver for the CRNS were installed. The upgraded UAV was named MART Mk.II. It is currently in service with the French ground forces.

The Sagem company in the 1980s. developed the Marula UAV. This unmanned aerial vehicle served as the basis for the creation of more advanced Crecerlle and Sperver.

Initially, the Kreserel UAV was developed as an aerial target. The project was refocused on creating an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. Its flight tests began in 1992, and a year later the evaluation tests of two Creserel UAV systems began in the armed forces. The Kreserel UAV is made according to the “tailless” design with vertical tail. The wingspan is 3.3 m, the power of the piston engine is 26 hp, the propeller is a pusher. The navigation system (GPS) provides accuracy up to 10 m. A catapult is used for launch, and a parachute or ski chassis is used for landing.

At the end of the 1990s. The French army purchased two SAGEM Crecerlle systems. One system includes 12 Specter UAVs. The speed of these UAVs is 240 km/h, the flight duration is 3 hours. The Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden bought the same UAV systems. Essentially, Kreserel in a modified form was called Sperver in the Netherlands, and Uglan in Sweden. The modified Sperver UAV is also “tailless” with a two-fin tail and an engine power of 70 hp. It is distinguished by its increased design dimensions and increased load capacity.

In 2001, the Sazhem company introduced a new UAV, Sperver-NU. It is no longer equipped with a piston engine, but with a turbojet engine. The appearance of the unmanned Sperver also changed: from a “tailless” design it turned into a “duck” with a forward-swept wing. In addition to conducting tactical reconnaissance, the Sperver UAV will be used for target designation and electronic suppression. The combat radius of the UAV is 440 km. At a speed of 555 km/h, Sperver-NU can fly for an hour and a half.

Another French company, SAS Systems, is developing the Fox family of UAVs. Four such UAVs are placed on a cargo all-terrain vehicle along with ground equipment and a crew of three people. The UAV fleet includes a Fox ATI reconnaissance drone weighing 90 kg, a payload of 15 kg and a flight duration of 1.5 hours, Fox AT2 and Fox TX drones - each weighing 140 kg, a payload of 25 kg and a flight duration of 5 hours.

The French Ministry of Defense has also developed requirements for high altitude and flight endurance UAVs. The Aerospatial-Matra company is forming the concept of a new generation of UAVs. It was announced the design of the Fregat UAV, the take-off weight of which should reach up to 15 tons, flight altitude 18,000 m, flight duration 30 hours.

During 1997-1998 The leadership of the French Armed Forces reviewed and approved miniature Hussard and Vigiland F2000M helicopters, developed as UAVs used for the use of an armored brigade. A fiber optic link is used to communicate with the Hussard unmanned helicopter. This increases the throughput of information flows and makes the helicopter equipment immune to interference. The Hussard UAV flies at a speed of 130 km/h for 1-2 hours to a maximum range of 8 km. To take off, it needs a runway of 40 m. The Vigiland F2000M unmanned helicopter has a length of 2.3 m and a weight of 30 kg. It is capable of carrying a 10 kg payload over a distance of 20 km.

In France, activities are underway to introduce “miniature hand-held UAVs” into service. According to French experts, these UAVs should be used to enhance the combat capabilities of motorized infantry. At the same time, it seems that no costs for the development of modern UAVs frighten the French military. For example, the development of the Mirador demonstration model cost $4 million. It is expected that the production model of this UAV will cost $4,200.

The length of the Mirador UAV, the development of which was supervised by the Ministry of Defense Acquisition Administration (DGA), is only 25 cm, its engine provides a 20-minute flight. The engine and fuel of the miniature UAV will account for 80% of the total weight of the aircraft.

This miniature unmanned aerial vehicle will be equipped with miniature day and night video cameras and devices capable of monitoring enemy personnel and equipment in close proximity to it. The Mirador UAV will transmit information to infantrymen equipped with an appropriate portable screen. In addition, on other carriers the Mirador UAV will operate in a single system with other devices, for example, laser targeting systems, electronic warfare equipment, data transmission and weapon control systems.

The second generation of this UAV is being jointly developed by France and Belgium. It is assumed that the new devices will have the ability to hover in the air, which is especially important in maneuverable combat with the use of heavy weapons. A special feature of such a UAV is that it is launched from the hand, that is, it can operate individually or en masse in the interests of motorized infantry platoons. The length of such UAVs will be 40 cm, weight - 1.5 kg, flight duration - 15-20 minutes, ceiling - 100 m, range - 1000 m.

According to foreign open media reports, the Felin UAV is currently being tested in France to see if it can be included in infantry equipment. Particular attention is paid to determining the ease of use of UAVs in combat, peacekeeping operations and ensuring minimal losses of military personnel.

Further development (after 2010) of French miniature UAVs will be even more miniature unmanned vehicles

In 1981, China developed a small reconnaissance UAV, the D-4. This UAV served as the basis for its creation in the mid-1990s. reconnaissance mini-UAVs ASN-104 and ASN-105. Their developer is the research and production association “ASN” (Xi’an). These UAVs are similar to the D-4 UAV and have the same engine. They are intended for use in ground forces and are capable of conducting reconnaissance in real time at a depth behind the front line of 60 km (ASN-104) and 100 km (ASN-105). The onboard equipment includes a panoramic aerial camera capable of capturing an area of ​​about 1,700 square meters during one flight. km or television camera. In the future, it is possible to use mini-UAVs ASN-104 and ASN-105 as carriers of replaceable modules. One of these modules is an IR linear scanning station that provides reconnaissance at night.

A more modern UAV ASN-106B is capable of flying for 7 hours at an altitude of 6000 m. In the 1990s. NPO "ASN" has developed a small UAV ASN-15, which can be launched from a hand. This UAV is designed to conduct reconnaissance over the battlefield. The UAV can fly for an hour at an altitude of up to 500 m.

The Chinese Research Institute of Simulator Engineering (NRIST) has created two reconnaissance UAVs W-30 and W-50. Unmanned aerial vehicles have a take-off weight of 18 and 95 kg, respectively, and a flight duration of 4-6 hours.

The state-owned China Aviation Corporation AVIC II, together with the private company BWA, have also developed several UAVs. The AW-4 Shark UAV is capable of flying at an altitude of 4000 m for 4 hours.

The development of UAVs in South Africa is carried out by the Kentron company (currently part of the Denel Aerospace company as a branch). Using the experience of creating the Champion UAV, as well as the design of the Scout devices purchased from Israel (the operation of which did not satisfy the military), the company designed its unmanned Siker reconnaissance aircraft and in 1986 put it into service with the Air Force. A total of 16 Seekers were built for the South African Air Force. First, the Siker-1 version was produced, and then the production of the more advanced Siker-P UAV was launched.

The Meteor CAE company supplies the Italian army with UAVs of the Mirach family. Changing its name to Galileo Avionica, this company has developed and is testing the Falco UAV. Tests are taking place on the island of Sardinia, at an army training ground. The Falco unmanned aerial vehicle is made according to a two-beam design. The wheeled chassis cannot be retracted. The high wing has a span of 7.3 m. The piston engine power is 65 hp, the pusher propeller is three-bladed. Flight duration is up to 14 hours. The maximum take-off weight of the UAV is 340 kg, payload weight is 70 kg. The Falco UAV can land like an airplane or with a parachute.

The payload includes optoelectronic and thermal sensors, a laser rangefinder-target designator, and a search radar. A container with additional equipment weighing up to 60 kg can be suspended under the fuselage. The UAV flies either autonomously - according to a pre-set program, or is controlled by an operator. After the tests, the Falco UAV is expected to be adopted by the Italian army.

In Spain, the Institute of Aerospace Industry (INTA) has developed the SIVA surveillance UAV for the Spanish Armed Forces. This “drone” is designed to conduct optoelectronic reconnaissance and over-the-horizon target detection. There is electronic warfare and electronic warfare equipment on board. Payload weight 40 kg. The SIVA UAV is made according to a conventional aircraft design with a high-mounted straight wing, the span of which is 5.8 m. The maximum speed of this UAV is 170 km/h, it flies at an altitude of 8000 m for 8 hours. A catapult is used for take-off, a parachute or a parachute is used for landing. inflatable ballonets.

INTA has also developed the lightweight Avion Ligero de Observation (ALO) UAV, which is designed to perform civil and military missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition. The ALO system consists of a launcher and a ground control station based on a light vehicle. Three UAVs are towed by the same vehicle. Unmanned aerial vehicles are equipped with interchangeable controlled thermal imagers or television cameras (weight 6 kg). The ALO UAV is capable of flying for two hours, a range of 50 km, and a flight speed of up to 200 km/h.

In Switzerland, the RUAG company designed and built the Ranger reconnaissance UAV, which was created taking into account operation in mountain conditions, especially in the area of ​​​​snow and glaciers. The history of the Ranger's creation dates back to 1985-1986, when Israeli Scout UAVs underwent evaluation tests in the Swiss Army. The RUAG company created the ADS90 Ranger UAV with the technical assistance of Israeli specialists. Flight tests of prototypes took place in 1990. During the testing of the UAV, supervision of its development passed from the ground forces to the Air Force. Accordingly, the requirements for UAVs were changed. The RUAG company modified the original UAV into the ADS95 version. In December 1995, the Swiss Air Force ordered 28 unmanned aerial vehicles worth $232 million. All of them were delivered in 1998-2000.

The design of the Ranger UAV resembles that of the Scout. This is a two-boom aircraft with a low wing (5.7 m span), a two-tail tail and one Gobler-Hirt F-31 PD with a power of 38 hp. with a pushing propeller. The fuselage length is 4.6 m, its height is 1.1 m. Take-off weight is 250 kg, the target load is about 45 kg. The load includes the Tomam optoelectronic system installed in a spherical fairing under the fuselage, which is located on a gyroplatform. The flight duration is 5 hours, and with a small additional fuel tank, 6 hours.

As standard, the payload includes a television camera for daytime observations. If necessary, the UAV can be equipped with a FLIR thermal imaging system, capable of searching for targets at night and in poor weather conditions.

The device is remotely controlled from a ground station mounted on a wheeled chassis. From this point it is possible to simultaneously control three Rangers. If necessary, control can be carried out from a remote control panel. The UAV launches from a catapult and lands on three ski supports, which are in a preloaded position during flight. An automatic landing system using the RAPS system has been developed for the Ranger. This system includes a laser radar and a television system; they are installed in the landing area and ensure the UAV's landing approach. In addition to the Swiss Air Force, Ranger vehicles are in service with Finland.

The development of UAVs is one of the priority areas for the Iranian aviation industry. Currently, Iran mass-produces several types of UAVs for military and civilian purposes. In civilian use, Iranian UAVs patrol roads and water areas and monitor oil industry facilities. These aircraft were demonstrated at the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2003 and the Iran Airshow 2005 air show, which took place on January 18-21, 2005.

Since during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) air supremacy belonged to Iraqi aviation, with the help of UAVs, the Iranians conducted aerial reconnaissance of the enemy’s front line and tactical rear. These were devices both of our own production and those purchased abroad - mainly in China, Syria and Libya, as well as captured ones. Then the Iranians acquired UAVs and missiles produced by Western states, which “accidentally” flew into their territory during air offensive operations against Iraq. It happens that even today the Iranians “get” American UAVs that conduct aerial reconnaissance. Such devices are carefully studied by local specialists, but are not copied, with the exception of technologically important components and assemblies.

Several companies are actively developing unmanned systems in Iran, the main ones being Qods Aviation Industries (Tehran) and Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Shahin Shahr). The first company uses mainly composites in the design of UAVs, the second uses aluminum. Well-known UAVs from Qods Aviation Industries are Saeghe-2, Talash-1/2, Mohajer-2, Mohajer-4 (Hod Hod). The Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Farsi abbreviation HESA) builds the AM-79 and Ababil-1, tests of which were completed back in June 2000.

The Ababil-1 UAV was launched in 1986 and is designed in a canard design, with forward control surfaces. It is launched from a small rail using a powder accelerator. The wing consoles open when leaving the guide, and the spent accelerator is dumped. Optical reconnaissance equipment is located in the forward part of the fuselage, and a piston engine with a pushing propeller is located in the tail part. The UAV flight usually proceeds according to the program. If necessary, the operator can take over control.

All control and transmission equipment fits into a large “travel suitcase”. The “suitcase” is carried by one person. The UAV itself can solve tactical problems in the interests of commanders of units and units of ground forces. To train operators of the Ababil-1 UAV, a smaller copy weighing 30-40 kg was created. She received the designation AM-79.

The Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Company also produces other reconnaissance UAVs and aerial targets. Information about them is limited. However, there is quite detailed information about the Ababil family of unmanned aerial vehicles. The family of these UAVs includes the Ababil-B remote-controlled target, the Ababil-5 and Ababil-II tactical reconnaissance aircraft, and the Ababil-T reconnaissance and strike UAV. All of them are made according to the canard design with a high wing, have one vertical keel and are equipped with one P73 rotary piston engine driving a pusher propeller. The airframe has an all-metal structure, only the Ababil-T is made entirely of composite materials.

All UAVs of the Ababil family have a take-off weight of 80-85 kg and a maximum flight speed of about 300-350 km/h. To launch them, a pneumatic catapult is used; If necessary, solid rocket boosters can be used. HESA has developed means for launching UAVs from ground-based (stationary and mobile) installations, as well as from the deck of a ship. Landing of the devices can be carried out on a retractable ski chassis or using a parachute.

The Ababil-B target entered service with the Iranian army in 1993. It is used for training air defense units. The Ababil-S reconnaissance UAV was put into service in 2000. Its target equipment includes optical and thermal sensors and a real-time data transmission system. Ababil-II first flew in 1997. According to experts, the Ababil-II UAV likely became the basis for the creation of a more advanced Ababil-5 device.

The Ababil-T strike and reconnaissance UAV differs from previous devices in its slightly increased size. Its wing span is 3.3 m, fuselage length is 2.8 m. A special feature of this UAV is the presence of two fins installed on the wing consoles. The Ababil-T UAV has a television camera and, in addition, is designed to engage various ground targets. The mass of the warhead is not stated anywhere. This unmanned aerial vehicle can hit small stationary targets at a distance of 50 km from the front line, and when using a GPS system, it can hit targets located at a distance of more than 150 km.

UAVs of the Ababil family are also exported.

Unmanned aerial vehicles of the Talash-1/2 type are quite simple in design; they are made according to the classic aircraft design with a high-mounted wing and conventional tail structure. The power plant consists of a single piston engine driving a tractor propeller. The Iranians have developed two models of UAVs of this type: Talash-I and Talash-2. The original version has a length of 1.7 m and a wingspan of 2.64 m. It weighs 12 kg, reaches a speed of 90 km/h and can stay in the air for 30 minutes. Talash-2 (also known as Hadaf-3000) has a reduced wing span of 2.1 m, but a longer fuselage of 1.9 m. Its speed is 120 km/h, but the flight duration is reduced to 25 minutes.

It has been officially announced that Talash-type UAVs are intended for training operators of more complex UAVs, as well as for training anti-aircraft crews. However, experts note that the Talash-2 target load includes electronic warfare equipment. The Talash-1 UAV takes off and lands like an airplane, Talash-2 takes off from a rail guide and lands with a parachute.

The Saeghe-2 (Target Drone) unmanned aerial vehicle is designed according to the “flying wing” design. The motor is located in the rear fuselage. This UAV has an autopilot and can be reprogrammed in flight. This device is controlled either manually or by program, but with correction of its own location using the GPS navigation system. Its launcher is mounted on a jeep-type vehicle, take-off is carried out using powder accelerators, and landing is carried out by parachute. The fuselage length of the Saeghe-2 UAV is 2.81 m, the wingspan is 2.6 m, the piston engine power is 25 hp, the propeller is a pusher.

The Saeghe-2 UAV is used mainly as a flying target. Since the radars “do not see” this UAV (it is made of composite materials), corner reflectors and all kinds of traps are suspended from the target. The device is capable of towing decoys.

Since 1997, several variants of the Mohajer UAV have been produced in series. These unmanned aerial vehicles are made according to a double-beam design with a high-mounted straight wing and a U-shaped tail. All these UAVs have a single piston engine driving a pusher propeller. The chassis is non-retractable wheeled or skid-type. The UAV can be launched in several ways: with an airplane take-off run, from a pneumatic catapult (Mohajer-2 option) or from rail guides using a launch solid propellant rocket engine (Mohajer-3 option). A wheeled landing gear or parachute is used for landing.

The Mohajer-2 UAV is designed for real-time surveillance and reconnaissance. The length of its fuselage is 2.9 m, the wingspan is 3.8 m. The engine has a pusher propeller, its power is 25 hp. The range is limited to 50 km - the capabilities of transmitting television information to the control post. In the photo reconnaissance version, the UAV's range is 150 km. Some Mohajer-2 UAVs are equipped with night vision systems.

Mohajer-2 is equipped with a digital flight control system, including an autopilot. The flight is usually carried out according to a program in automatic mode using a GPS receiver. The operator has the ability to change the program during the flight. The control equipment is placed on the chassis of a truck. The aircraft is launched using a pneumatic catapult. Landing is carried out either by parachute or on a skid with a short run. This UAV is designed for 20-30 flights. The device was not widely used. The more advanced version of the Mohajer-Z (also known as Dorna) has a combat radius of almost 100 km and twice the flight duration.

The Mohajer-4 (Hod Hod) unmanned aerial vehicle has a similar layout to the Mohajer-2 UAV, but more advanced aerodynamic shapes. This is the most modern of all Iranian UAVs. All variants of the Mohajer-4 UAV are in service with the Iranian army. Its main purpose is to patrol roads and coasts with real-time transmission of surveillance data to a mobile command post.

This UAV is also used by the Border Guard to monitor the movements of drug caravans.

Mohajer-4 has a satellite navigation system, optoelectronic and thermal sensors, as well as electronic electronic signals. The target load includes a digital miniprocessor. This UAV is launched from an inclined truss using powder accelerators, and lands by parachute. The fuselage length is 3.64 m, the wingspan is 5.3 m, the engine power is 38 hp.

It is quite possible that Iran is also developing operational UAVs with jet engines. A possible engine for this class of UAV was presented at the Iran Airshow 2005 exhibition. This is a TRJ-60-2 turbojet engine with a thrust of 400-600 kg, presented by TEM (Tehran). Managers of the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Company told a correspondent of the Military-Industrial Courier newspaper that Iran is already “halfway” from the simplest UAVs to modern high-tech systems.

In Sweden, work is being carried out in two directions. The first direction is devoted to the creation of unmanned combat aircraft, the second - the development of tactical reconnaissance UAVs.

At the Eurosatori 2004 international arms exhibition held in Paris in June 2004, SAAB for the first time announced the deployment of work on two projects - a medium-altitude reconnaissance UAV with long flight duration (MALE) and a tactical UAV (TUAV). The MALE UAV project is similar to the American Predator-B, but with a T-shaped tail. Both devices are made according to the “canard” design without vertical tail and differ in the size of the wing and its planform. Propeller in an annular channel.

Both projects are closely related to the plans of the Swedish Ministry of Defense, according to which it is planned to create a family of various unmanned aerial vehicles for conducting visual and electronic reconnaissance. In June 2000, SAAB demonstrated the concept of a UAV for combat operations using the Internet.

The Austrian company "Schiebel" has mastered the production of a miniature unmanned helicopter Camcopter (Camcopter). In June 2001, plans were made public to sell this type of UAV to Egypt.

Since the late 1980s. In the Czech Republic, an unmanned system Sojka (Jay) was developed based on the E50 target. The flight range of this UAV is 100 km, information is transmitted in real time. Flight tests of prototypes of this class took place in 1993-1994. During 1995-1996. Sojka UAVs took part in maneuvers of the Czech army. The results of flight and military tests were successful, and in 1997 the complex was put into service.

The Soyka UAV is made according to the traditional double-beam design for many unmanned aerial vehicles. The device has a high wing with a span of 4.12 m, a U-shaped tail and one two-cylinder piston engine with a power of 29 hp, driving a pusher propeller. The airframe structure is made of fiberglass. The target load weighing 25 kg includes a color television camera, a camera, and an optoelectronic system that allows for round-the-clock reconnaissance. The maximum take-off weight of the UAV is 180 kg, speed in patrol mode is 120 km/h, flight duration is 2 hours, ceiling is 2000 m.

The Soyka UAV is launched from a 14 m long catapult using powder accelerators. A skid landing gear is used for landing, but if necessary, a parachute can be used. The unmanned complex includes three or four UAVs, a van with a control center, an ejection unit on a self-propelled chassis and other equipment.

Back in 1998, the Czech Armed Forces, together with the Technical Institute of Air Defense, tested the Sojka-Ш (Jay) unmanned reconnaissance system, an improved model of the Sojka complex. In July of that year, the Soyka-III unmanned complex was declared fully combat-ready. It is currently entering service with the Czech Air Force. The Soyka-Sh UAV is equipped with an AR74-1180 engine with a power of 37 hp. The device has slightly reduced dimensions and a maximum take-off weight of 145 kg, but its flight time has been increased to 4.5 hours.

At the International Association of Unmanned Systems Systems (AUVSI) conference held in Berlin in May 2004, representatives of the Czech Air Force Research Institute reported that a modified version of the Soyka-SH UAV, TVM 3.12, had been created, featuring more advanced target equipment built on a modular principle. The flight duration of the new device has been increased to 6-7 hours.

In Australia, the Aerosonde Robotic Aircraft company in 1991 began designing a family of multi-purpose Aerosonde UAVs intended for use as tactical reconnaissance aircraft, as well as devices for meteorological and environmental monitoring. The weight of these UAVs is no more than 20 kg, they are capable of performing flights lasting 30 hours or more.

The first experimental UAV Aerozond began testing in 1992. After completion of the tests in 1994, a decision was made on serial production. The first production UAV Aerozond Mk. 1 entered service in 1995. In total, more than 30 devices were manufactured. Structurally Aerosonde Mk. 1 was made according to a scheme with a high wing (span 2.9 m), a double-beam tail and an L-shaped stabilizer. The engine has a power of only 1 hp. driven by a pusher two-blade propeller.

The subsequent modification of the UAV was carried out according to the same scheme. This UAV weighed just over 20 kg and could carry a target load of up to 2 kg. The launch of the apparatus was carried out using a passenger car, on the roof of which a launch truss was located. When the car started moving, the “drone” engine started; when the speed reached 80 km/h, the UAV was uncoupled. Landing was carried out on the “belly” of the fuselage. During flight tests, the device flew for 30 hours at an altitude of about 5000 m.

In the spring of 1998, four Aerosondes Mk. 1 were delivered to Canada and placed on the island. Newfoundland, where their preparations for transatlantic flights began. In mid-August 1998, two devices took off, but both were soon lost. A few days later the second pair was launched. Of these, only one “drone” successfully crossed the Atlantic and after 26 hours 45 minutes landed on the island. South Uist is in the Hebridean archipelago, located west of Scotland. Throughout the 3,270 km flight, the device flew autonomously, using an autopilot and GPS system. Only when 44 km remained to the target was the radio control turned on. During the flight, 4 kg of fuel was consumed (before the start, the fuel supply was 5 kg).

In subsequent years, Aerozond Robotic Aircraft improved its UAVs. In 1999, Aerosonde Mk.2 appeared. It differed from its predecessor by a slightly more powerful engine (1.3 hp). At the same time, the engine was significantly more economical, thanks to which the device could remain in the air for over 30 hours. Due to the technologically advanced design, the take-off weight of the UAV was reduced to 14 kg.

At the beginning of 2001, the company developed the Aerosonde Mk.Z. It was slightly heavier (15 kg) and could rise to a height of more than 6000 m. Its flight duration was 32 hours.

By 2003, more than 60 Aerosonde UAVs had been built, which are mainly operated by the UN World Health Organization, meteorological services in Australia, Japan, the USA and Taiwan, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA and other organizations.

A prototype Brumby UAV has been built at the University of Sydney to test sensors that could be used in future UAV designs. The experimental unmanned aerial vehicle is made according to a “tailless” design with a two-fin vertical tail and one piston engine with a pushing propeller. The wing has a span of 2.82 m. The device weighs 45 kg. Takeoff and landing are carried out using a wheeled landing gear. This UAV can fly at a speed of 185 km/h.

In June 2000, Australia developed a short-range portable UAV for special forces. A year later, reconnaissance UAVs VectR and Mirli were developed and took off.

During the 1980-1990s. In India, several designs of unmanned aerial vehicles have been developed, which, however, have not become widespread. The Kapotaka UAV with a take-off weight of 125 kg was created at the Aeronautical Research Institute (ADE) in Bangalore. For a number of reasons, the Indian army refused to accept it into service. The only example built was used as a flying laboratory for testing various sensors and navigation systems.

Currently, the Indian armed forces prefer to purchase unmanned vehicles from France and Israel. For example, in June 2000, India purchased several types of reconnaissance UAVs from Israel.

The Indian Army also has its own UAVs in service. Thus, ADE has developed several reconnaissance UAV projects, of which only Nishant is in mass production. Its design began in 1992, and flight testing of three prototypes began in 1995. In 1997, Tanija Aerospace received a contract to build 14 vehicles for military testing in the Air Force and Navy. Tests were completed in 2000, after which the new UAV was put into service. The main task of the Nishant UAV is to monitor the situation on the Indo-Pakistani border and patrol over the territory of the state of Kashmir.

Nishant is made according to a double-beam design with a high wing (span 6.5 m). 50 hp engine drives a pusher propeller. The mass of the target load (television and thermal sensors, laser rangefinder-target designator and electronic reconnaissance equipment placed on a gyro-stabilized platform) is 60 kg. The flight of this UAV can be carried out autonomously or under the control of an operator. Take-off weight 375 kg. The flight duration is 4 hours, but as a result of the recent modernization of the device, it has increased to almost 6 hours. The Nishant UAV is launched from a pneumatic catapult, and a parachute or inflatable balloons can be used for landing.

In Pakistan, UAV development is carried out by the Aircraft Weapons Center (“AWC”). In 2000, the Pakistan Army received the first UAV for evaluation tests, which revealed the need for significant improvements to the nation's unmanned aerial vehicles. An improved version of the experimental UAV, called Shaspar, has a combat radius of almost 150 km and can carry a wide range of sensors.

AWC has developed several unmanned vehicles - AWC Mk.I, AWC Mk.II, Bravo and Vision. All of them are in service with the Pakistan Army. The AWC Mk.I UAV, in operation since 1997, is a small-sized device weighing 30 kg, capable of carrying a color television camera and a FLIR thermal imaging system. Target load weight 2 kg. This UAV is capable of staying in the air for 2 hours and flying at a distance of up to 30 km from the launch site. It is designed for short-range reconnaissance and target designation.

The advanced version of the AWC Mk.II was first publicly shown in 1999. It weighs almost 60 kg and can fly at speeds of up to 130 km/h. Its combat radius is 50 km, and the flight duration is 3 hours. According to available information, the operation of both “drones” is not entirely successful: many devices were lost due to technical problems. Therefore, AWC is currently developing a more reliable UAV - Mk.Sh.

The recently launched Bravo unmanned vehicle is also designed for short-range reconnaissance. It has a flight radius of 80 km. In addition to reconnaissance and target designation, Bravo can conduct “electronic warfare” and adjust artillery fire. For this purpose, its target load includes optical and thermal systems, and electronic electronic transmission equipment.

Based on the Bravo UAV, the Vision-1 and Vision-P devices were developed. They have an all-composite airframe and flight ranges of 80 km and 150 km respectively. Unlike its predecessors, Vision vehicles can perform tasks autonomously; the operator intervenes as necessary.

The General Directorate of Munitions of the Ministry of Defense of Pakistan has developed a tactical UAV Hudhud with a flight range of 50 km. It carries the target load as part of optoelectronic sensors and electronic electronic devices. On its basis, an improved version of the Hudhud-Ps was designed with a flight range of 80 km. This device weighs 40 kg and is capable of solving multi-purpose tasks.

The Pakistani company Satuma designed and built the unmanned reconnaissance aircraft Jasos-1, made according to a double-beam design with a high wing (span 4.92 m). This UAV is equipped with one piston engine with a power of 23-35 hp. with a push screw. Take-off weight is about 125 kg. Target load weight 20-30 kg. Jasos-1 can patrol specified areas at an altitude of 3000 m for 5 hours. Its takeoff and landing are carried out like an airplane.

The same company has developed the NB-X2 tactical reconnaissance UAV, capable of flying at an altitude of 5500 m for 8 hours. Its design uses a biplane wing box, with the lower wing shifted to the rear of the airframe, and the ends of the consoles connected. The tail is T-shaped, the landing gear is wheeled, non-retractable. The device is equipped with one piston engine with a power of 35 hp. The take-off weight of the NB-X2 is 180 kg, the target load weight is 50 kg. Pre-production NB-X2s are currently undergoing flight testing.

In addition to the unmanned aerial vehicles listed above, Pakistan has developed tactical reconnaissance aircraft Thunder and Thunder-ER, Vector-1 and Vector-2. In June 2000, delivery of the Vector reconnaissance UAV to the troops began.

In 1988, the South Korean company Daewoo (currently part of the KAI corporation) began developing the Doyosei reconnaissance UAV project. Flight testing of the TPR V-1 demonstrator began in the summer of 1993. At the end of 1996, during the aerospace exhibition in Seoul, Daewoo showed this UAV under the name Doyosei XSR-1. The UAV was built according to the traditional two-beam design, with a high-mounted wing, a two-fin tail, a fuselage with a square cross-section and a fixed wheeled landing gear with a front support.

The Doyosei UAV is equipped with a single AR731 rotary piston engine with a power of 38 hp, driving a two-blade pusher propeller. The technical characteristics of the UAV are as follows: fuselage length 3.5 m, wingspan 4.8 m, height 1.34 m. The airframe structure is made of composite materials based on carbon fibers and Kevlar. The target payload includes optical sensors located in a spherical fairing under the fuselage. The maximum take-off weight is 130 kg, fuel capacity is 40 liters.

In 1990-1999 South Korea also created the Bijo tactical reconnaissance vehicle, which did not go into production, and the Knight Intruder-300, mass-produced by the KAI aerospace corporation. In mid-2000, the joint venture “YK4 Telkom” was created with the participation of companies from South Korea, Germany and Russia. In December 2001, the company began cooperation with the Russian innovative company Novik-XX Vek with the aim of creating a multi-purpose Sky Inspector UAV to perform civil and military missions. The YK4 Telkom company plans to build a plant in Asia to produce the Sky Inspector UAV.

In 2002, South Korea developed a national program for the development of UAVs for military and civilian use. This program envisages, over the next eight to ten years, the deployment of work on various types of unmanned vehicles, including tactical, vertical take-off, TUAV vehicles with medium (MALE) and long (HALE) flight duration, high-altitude (stratospheric) airships, micro-UAVs and combat unmanned aircraft. All work is managed by the Ministry of Science and Technology. In November 2003, the first South Korean international conference on UAV problems was held in Busan, where the main provisions of the above-mentioned national program were announced.

While developing civilian UAVs, the Republic of Korea is focusing on creating military vehicles. The main funding for these developments was provided by the Office of Defense Research (ADD). In parallel, the South Korean armed forces developed requirements for UAVs, including deck-based UAVs. Requirements have been developed for an unmanned jammer and a promising combat UAV, intended to replace the Israeli-made Harpi anti-radar UAVs in service.

The Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI - Korean Aerospace Research Institute) has been conducting research on various UAVs for military and civilian purposes in recent years. For example, in 2000, the institute’s specialists created a meteorological UAV Durumi with a long flight duration (more than 24 hours). In flight tests, the Durumi UAV has already flown at a distance of up to 2000 km.

At the same institute, the Remo I-006 tactical UAV was designed, the serial production of which was transferred to Yukon Systems. This device is made according to the usual design with a parasol-type wing and a T-shaped tail. The pylon on which the wing is located also serves to mount the engine that drives the pusher propeller. An electric motor is used as a power plant; The energy reserve in the lithium battery is enough for a flight of 1.5 hours. Installing a second battery increases the flight duration to 2.5 hours. The Remo Ai-006 UAV weighs almost 14 kg.

In Taiwan, the Kestrel-N unmanned aerial vehicle was created at the Chang Shan Institute of Technology in 2003. This is a UAV with a high wing (5 m span) and a fuselage length of 4 m. One Limbach I.275E piston engine provides a speed of up to 130 km/h and a flight duration of up to 8 hours. Maximum take-off weight is 120 kg, target load is 30 kg. The UAV is equipped with a non-retractable wheeled chassis, but there is also an option with ejection launch.

The Kestrel-N UAV is used for both military and civilian purposes. In the armed forces, it serves for reconnaissance, target designation, relaying radio communications, as well as identifying the results of artillery shelling of enemy positions. The civilian version is used for environmental monitoring, regulating traffic on highways, monitoring agricultural crops and fisheries, patrolling oil and gas pipelines, as well as taking air samples in areas where nuclear power plants are located.

At the international aerospace exhibition "Action Aerospace 2004", held in Singapore from February 24 to 29, 2004, Singapore Technologies Aerospace (STA) showed the MAV-1 high-speed stealth UAV. It was built in 2003. Tests began at the same time, including determining the EPR value. The MAV-1 UAV is designed to demonstrate the capabilities of STA to develop modern aircraft using advanced technologies.

The MAV-1 UAV has a load-bearing fuselage 2 m long, a swept wing with a span of about 3 m and a two-fin tail. The device is equipped with one turbojet engine with a thrust of 45 kgf. Its air intake is located on top of the central part of the fuselage. To control the UAV, all-moving wing consoles and fins are used (they are called “taileron”). The maximum take-off weight of the vehicle is 80 kg, the target load weight is 20 kg.

Representatives of the STA company announced that the MAV-1 UAV is a 0.3 scale flying model of an attack and reconnaissance UAV, flight tests of which are scheduled to begin in 2005-2006. In the future, it is planned to create combat unmanned aircraft based on this device.

The Turkish Aviation Corporation TAI has built an experienced tactical reconnaissance UAV UA V-X1. Its take-off weight is 245 kg, and the payload weight is up to 45 kg. The experimental UAV UA V-X1 is equipped with one 42 hp engine. with a push screw. The flight duration is almost 8 hours.

There are three factories in Egypt where small batches of unmanned aerial vehicles are produced. In 15 years, no more than 65 UAVs were built for the national armed forces. The most successful Egyptian unmanned aerial vehicles are considered Najla and Soham-1. The Najla UAV is designed for short-range reconnaissance, while the Saham-1 UAV solves tactical problems.

In Egypt, the Ministry of Defense is responsible for coordinating UAV research. Currently, requirements have been developed for a new Egyptian UAV capable of conducting species reconnaissance, solving electronic warfare tasks and being used as an aerial target.

The Polytechnic Academy of the Chilean Air Force introduced the light reconnaissance UAV Vantapa in 2003. It has a high wing with a span of 4.6 m, a two-beam U-shaped tail, and a three-post fixed landing gear. Engine power 12 hp This UAV flies at a speed of 150 km/h at an altitude of 3000 m. Its range is 450 km, maximum flight duration is 7 hours.

The Vantapa UAV can be used for patrol and reconnaissance flights, electronic warfare, assessing the results of air strikes, and also as an aerial target. It is believed that it will also be used in hard-to-reach areas for monitoring mountain roads, searching for missing climbers, monitoring forest fires, combating drug trafficking, relaying television programs, and assessing damage from floods and earthquakes.

In Tunisia, the TAT company created a prototype of the Lnasas patrol UAV. This is a UAV with a double-beam fuselage and a high-mounted wing, the span of which is 3.8 m. The wheeled chassis of the Lnasas UAV is non-retractable. 25 hp engine drives the pusher screw. The take-off weight of the device is 125 kg, the flight duration is 14 hours. This BL A is designed to monitor the condition of main pipelines.

In recent years, due to the intensification of terrorist organizations, the problem of the effectiveness of protecting borders between states and controlling territory has come to the fore. With the development of unmanned aerial monitoring, the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) along borders for patrol tasks is becoming quite common.

The United States already has seven years of experience using drones on two borders. It is the northern border separating the United States from Canada, 4,121 miles long, and the southern border separating the United States and Mexico, 2,062 miles long. Both borders have hundreds of official and unofficial entry points and "countless unofficial crossings." The US Customs and Border Protection employs more than 10 thousand employees, but due to the fact that part of the border passes through uninhabited regions and difficult to reach places, problems with control by ground means remain. Despite extensive security using video cameras, ground sensors, physical barriers, ground vehicles and aviation, incidents of illegal border crossings and drug smuggling occur frequently. One of the important tasks is the detection of terrorists and cases of illegal import of weapons.

All these circumstances prompted the US Congress in 2003, in addition to existing funds, to call on the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to study the possibility of using UAVs at the borders. That same year, drones were tested for the first time for use on the US-Mexico border during Operation Protect, and the DVB soon declared that the Predator B UAV was most suitable for these purposes.

Figure 1. Predator B (Reaper) UAV

Compared to traditional manned surveillance systems such as light aircraft and helicopters, the use of UAVs has both strengths and weaknesses. One of the beneficial aspects of using unmanned vehicles is that they have undoubted technical capabilities to improve control of remote and hard-to-reach areas. Using onboard optoelectronic and infrared capabilities, the operator can receive information in real time and provide detection and recognition of “potentially hostile objects.” Another advantage of Predator B UAV systems is the ability to fly for more than thirty hours without refueling. Traditionally, drones are less expensive than manned aircraft. Of course, the cost of UAVs varies widely. In 2003 prices, the Shadow UAV cost $350 thousand, and the Predator - $4.5 million (in 2009, the cost of one such UAV was already $10 million). But the costs of planes are even higher. The P-3 patrol aircraft operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement costs $36 million, and the Blackhawk helicopters often used at the border cost $8.6 million each.

Figure 2. Predator UAV

Despite the benefits of using UAVs, various problems have been identified that may hinder their widespread use in border control. In particular, unfortunately, the use of UAVs is still associated with a high accident rate. It has been officially concluded that the accident rate of UAVs is 100 times higher than that of manned aircraft. In 2006, one of the cases of a Predator UAV crashed while flying along the Mexican border. The reason for this is the significantly lower reliability and redundancy of the main systems than is customary in manned aircraft. If systems malfunction, in some cases the pilot is able to diagnose and correct the emergency situation on board and take over manual control during landing, but in the case of a UAV the same is impossible. Another weak point of the UAV is the weather limitation of the operation of optical-electronic and IR systems. The frequent cloudiness and high humidity of the climate on the Mexican border have a particularly noticeable effect. To minimize this impact, it is planned to equip the Predator B with an additional on-board synthetic aperture radar operating at high resolution. But such radar has poor ability to track moving targets and requires the use of so-called motion indication technology (MTI). However, such a functional expansion significantly increases the cost of the UAV and operating costs. In addition, to integrate UAV systems into civil airspace, several regulatory safety issues must be resolved at the US Federal Aviation Administration level.

The UAV implementation program continued in 2004. In particular, two Israeli-made Hermes 450S UAVs leased by the Border Patrol were used to patrol the border areas along Tucson and Yuma, known for the massive phenomenon of illegal immigrants crossing the border. The devices are equipped with optical sensors and video cameras that provide round-the-clock surveillance and can remain in the air for 20 hours. The drone equipment is capable of detecting intruders at a distance of up to 24 km. Trial use of the Hermes 450S was planned to be completed in September 2004.

Figure 3. Hermes 450 UAV

In February 2009, in accordance with the UAV program for border security, it was announced that Predator B UAVs, which are in service with the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, will be involved in patrolling the border with Canada in support of the Department of Customs and Customs. US border control. The area of ​​responsibility includes border regions along a 400-kilometer stretch between the Canadian province of Manitoba and the American states of Dakota and Minnesota. It must be said that currently the US Customs and Border Protection Agency already has its own Predator B UAVs, the number of which is not disclosed. The drone is capable of detecting an intruder at a distance of more than 10 kilometers, and the information can be transmitted to the operator at the ground control point and, further, to representatives of the Customs and Border Protection Agency.

According to official statistics, every year about 4,000 arrests of violators are made and up to 18 tons of drugs are confiscated at the US-Canadian border. There are 12 border crossing points in Manitoba. Much of the area between the points contains swamps, lakes, crop fields and Indian reservations. American authorities intend to improve control of this area, which “could potentially be used for the transport of drugs, illegal migrants and terrorists.”

Further measures are being taken to keep the US borders “locked”. In particular, a project of an unmanned aircraft carrier wing was recently announced, which is a UAV carrier that monitors the border line and produces miniature UAVs for “detailed additional reconnaissance of suspicious places.” The concept of such a special border UAV was developed by the American company AVID. The carrier UAV will be equipped with eight small reconnaissance UAVs. The patrol height will be about 6 kilometers.

Border control is a very pressing issue for Israel as well. Recently, the first unit equipped with the new Eitan (Heron TR) multi-purpose UAVs began operating in the Israeli Air Force. Reportedly, three such UAVs are capable of providing continuous real-time collection of intelligence information about the situation on the border with South Lebanon. In accordance with the plans of the Israeli Air Force command, by 2012 it is planned to put into operation about 10 such UAVs, capable of carrying on board more than a ton of payload and automatically carrying out patrols at altitudes of up to 12,000 meters for 60 hours continuously.

Figure 4. Eitan UAV

Heron TP (Eitan) - reconnaissance UAV, developed by IAI. Equipped with satellite navigation systems, tracking and target detection equipment in the optical, infrared and radio ranges. Perhaps the new modifications have weapons. The wingspan of various modifications reaches from 26 to 35 meters (indeed, comparable to the Boeing 737). Can fly up to 15,000 km. The height ceiling is 4.5 km. Can carry up to 1.8 tons of “payload”.

Back in 2006, the European Union decided to use unmanned aerial vehicles to patrol borders in the English Channel area and the Mediterranean coast. It was reported that UAVs will also be used to patrol the border in the Balkan Peninsula area. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles is part of the EU government's plan to equip customs and border services with modern tracking systems, and only $1.6 billion has been allocated for this program. So far, the types of UAVs have not been named, but it is clear that they should be equipped with video surveillance devices and ensure the prevention illegal immigration, smuggling and terrorist acts.

The Italian Ministry of Defense also uses UAVs. Thus, in 2009, two additional American MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles with a mobile ground control station were ordered. The transaction value is estimated at $63 million. This transaction is in addition to four MQ-9 Reaper drones ordered earlier in August 2008. Then the cost of the deal was $330 million. It was planned that the UAVs would be used to support troops and patrol the state border.

The Turkish military department also intends to use UAVs both over the territory of the country and for border security tasks. For this purpose, in 2008 it was planned to receive three Israeli Aerostar-type devices from Aeronautics. The air forces of the USA, Israel and Angola are already equipped with such drones. Aerostar UAVs are capable of recording the location of an object and transmitting data to a ground point. The UAVs should greatly simplify the collection of intelligence information about the location and movements of PKK militants.

Figure 5. Aerostar UAV

The Indian Armed Forces plan in the coming years to significantly increase the fleet of UAVs for conducting, first of all, reconnaissance and patrolling. According to Jane's, India is currently armed with 70 Israeli-made reconnaissance UAVs such as Searcher Mk 1, Searcher Mk 2 and Heron. Along with this, India is going to purchase combat UAVs of the General Atomics RQ-1 Predator type, on board which can be installed HellFire missiles with a laser homing head. They are planned to be placed along the borders with Pakistan and China in the area of ​​disputed areas to ensure the detection of various targets, incl. means of nuclear, biological and chemical attack.

In 2008, Brazil's Minister of Defense announced during large-scale cross-border army and police exercises in the southern state of Parana that unmanned aerial vehicles were being developed to protect the country's borders. At the first stage, it is planned to produce three samples by the aircraft manufacturing complex in the state of Sao Paulo. The total cost of the project should be 1.3 million Brazilian reais (616 thousand US dollars).

As reported in 2009, Brazil, which is considering using drones to control its state border, entered into a contract with the Israeli company IAI to supply UAVs. The cost of the contract then amounted to 350 million dollars. It is expected that the contract will be implemented in two stages. At the first stage, it was planned to supply 3 UAVs with the necessary equipment. During the second stage, the Israeli company will supply 11 more. The type of UAVs ordered is not known.

In addition, these UAVs will be used to ensure security for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games. It is known that trade relations with IAI include the sale of Heron-type UAVs for use in the Brazilian police.

In 2009, it was reported that the United States and Lebanon had agreed to supply Raven-type UAVs to strengthen border control and combat terrorism. The deliveries are part of military cooperation to ensure the protection of the border and the entire territory of the country, including the southern part of Lebanon, which is still effectively controlled by Hezbollah.

A locally produced unmanned aerial vehicle was tested in Georgia.

According to the Georgian Ministry of Defense, the presented aircraft can be used to carry out complex combat missions, as well as for border patrols, electronic reconnaissance, aerial photography, disaster monitoring, radiation monitoring and testing.

Flight control is carried out using a computer, and the aircraft takes off using a pneumatic catapult.

Specifications:

Flight duration - 8 hours

Flight altitude -100-3000 meters

Speed ​​- 60-160 km/h

Payload - dual camera video platform, photo camera, thermal camera and infrared camera

Presumably the drone can take off from any location and land on any terrain.

As reported in the media in the summer of 2010, the border troops of Turkmenistan also received unmanned equipment. In addition, in 2009, the Russian company Unmanned Systems supplied the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan with a complex of unmanned aerial vehicles ZALA 421-04M (421-12), which are also in trial operation by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB of Russia.

In the near future, unmanned vehicles should play a significant role in protecting the borders of Kazakhstan. It is assumed that drones will be able to patrol long, sparsely populated border areas. The process began in 2009, when a target program for the development of scientific, technical and industrial potential in Kazakhstan and, in particular, the creation of unmanned aircraft systems for the period 2009-2020 was launched. The main areas of application of UAV systems will be border protection and maintaining law and order, anti-terrorism measures, detection of emergency situations and liquidation of their consequences, environmental monitoring and protection of natural resources, monitoring of industrial facilities, transport and energy infrastructure. To implement the program, a partnership has been organized, which includes the companies Yak Alakon, Net Style, Astel and the Irkut Corporation. It is reported that a number of multi-purpose complexes have already been identified and partially tested. So far, the share of the Kazakh component is 30-50%, but in the future it is planned to increase it to 80-90%.

All of the above countries, despite their diversity, have one thing in common - they have very long borders, often running along sparsely populated or inaccessible areas. It was these countries that were the first to pay attention to the opportunities offered by the use of UAVs. It is safe to say that other states will soon follow the example of these countries, since with the gradual settlement of relevant regulatory, legal, insurance and, in part, technical issues, the use of UAVs to solve border protection problems will expand due to economic feasibility and efficiency, in comparison with other means.

TOP 10 UNMANNED AIRCRAFT

UAV, aircraft, Boeing, Fire Scout, Sea Scout, Pioneer, Scan Eagle, Global Hawk, Reaper, AeroVironment Raven, Bombardier, RMAX, Desert Hawk, Predator

This type of aircraft is becoming more advanced and mobile every year. Moreover, some samples already allow us to talk seriously about the development of unmanned civil aviation. And so, the Internet resource Aviation.com has identified the 10 most advanced, functional and reliable UAVs currently existing.

10. -Fire Scout/Sea Scout from Northrop Grumman Corporation

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

9. - RQ-2B Pioneer

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

8. - Scan Eagle from Boeing

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

7.- Global Hawk from Northrop Grumman

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

6. - MQ-9 Reaper from General Atomics

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

5. - AeroVironment Raven and Raven B

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

4. - Bombardier CL-327

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

3. - Yamaha RMAX

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

2. - Desert Hawk from Lockheed Martin

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

1. - MQ-1 Predator from General Atomics

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

RUSSIAN DEVELOPMENTS

In recent years, new domestic manufacturers of unmanned vehicles have grown. First of all, these are commercial and aviation companies working on orders from civil organizations. Tasks such as monitoring territories and objects, monitoring power lines, conducting search operations, and aerial photography of the area are in great demand in the civilian market. And the presence of a need for such equipment has allowed a large number of domestic highly qualified specialists in the field of aviation technology to use their knowledge in their specialty. Companies such as Zala Aero, ENIKS, Aerocon, Radar MMS, Irkut Engineering and others not only meet the needs of Russian commercial structures and departments, but also successfully promote their products to foreign markets.

A very interesting design bureau, INDELA, operates in Belarus, which has achieved great success in creating helicopter-type UAVs. On the basis of the 558th aircraft repair plant, JSC AGAT - Control Systems, together with INDELA, is preparing to produce mini-UAVs, short-range UAVs and short-range UAVs; Development of medium- and long-range devices is underway. The helicopter-type UAV, INDELA, has a number of ready-made and successfully sold samples in the light class. Not only the UAVs themselves, but also the navigation and communication means are made on their own base.

The developments of the Istra Experimental Mechanical Plant are interesting. For example, an unmanned electronic jamming system capable of operating without the use of GLONASS/GPS satellite navigation, using an inertial system, and a radio beacon system for high-precision landing. UAVs of the Istra series complex still have a small combat radius of 250 km, but the plant plans to master the production of the RITM piston aircraft engine, which will allow the creation of vehicles with greater range and autonomy. Electronic warfare equipment is represented by a set of replaceable small-sized jamming stations for suppressing: radio communication systems, satellite navigation receivers, air defense radar systems, state friend-or-foe identification systems, satellite telephone communications, radio relay lines; in the version of countering air defense systems, it is capable of creating several hundred false targets. The plant also produces automatic control and landing systems for drones of its own design.

Roshydromet of the Russian Federation has long been using UAVs from the Kazan company ENIKS. Eleron-3 devices were used at the North Pole polar stations, and Eleron-10 was tested in Spitsbergen last year.

Roskomnadzor will use NPC NELK UAVs to provide radio monitoring of the airwaves. The company's devices will participate in competitions for conducting R&D of the Ministry of Defense.

For the first time, reports that drones were already guarding hard-to-reach sections of the Russian border appeared back in 2005. It is known from media reports that by the beginning of 2010, the FSB already had experience using the domestic Eleron UAV developed by ENIKS CJSC for aerial reconnaissance. According to the Kommersant newspaper, based on the results of their use in the North Caucasus, an order was issued for further development of this UAV in a reconnaissance version. The same publication reports that in the interests of the FSB, tests were carried out on complexes with Dozor UAVs from the St. Petersburg company Transas and Istra-010 from the Istrinsky Experimental Mechanical Plant, but serial purchases of such devices were not reported.

UAV "Eleron-3"  

UAV "Dozor-85"

In addition, in 2007, according to a number of media reports, it follows that the Unmanned Systems company won a number of FSB tenders for the supply of complexes with aircraft-type ZALA 421-04M and helicopter-type ZALA 421-06 UAVs for border patrol. In May 2010, Nikolai Rybalkin, deputy head of the Border Service of the FSB of the Russian Federation, stated that, despite some rumors about possible deliveries of Israeli UAVs, the border service “intends to purchase only domestic unmanned aerial vehicles.” Somewhat earlier, the first deputy head of the Border Service of the FSB of the Russian Federation, Colonel General Vyacheslav Dorokhin, said that “The Border Service currently uses seven domestically produced UAV complexes, these complexes consist of two or three devices, and in total the department now has 14 UAVs.” . In June 2010, the same was confirmed by the head of the Border Service of the FSB of Russia, Vladimir Pronichev, in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta, stating that “the service has currently purchased seven complexes with Russian-made UAVs such as ZALA 421-05, Irkut-10 and "Orlan-10", and they are undergoing operational tests on the border of the Russian Federation with Kazakhstan." The head of the border service added that “unmanned aerial systems are used to inspect hard-to-reach areas, clarify information obtained using technical means of border security, as well as identify poaching activities and direct border patrols to violators.”

UAV "Irkut-10"  

UAV ZALA 421-04M

Preliminary tests of the Orlan-30 UAV developed by Special Technology Center LLC (STC) will soon be completed; based on the results, it will be finalized and transferred for state testing in the interests of the Moscow Region. The estimated flight duration of the device is 10-20 hours, depending on the mass of the target load, with a launch weight of only 27 kg, a flight altitude of 4500 m and the ability to take off and land like an airplane.

Another UAV "Orlan-10" has a launch weight of 14-18 kg with a payload weight of five kg. The device is launched from a collapsible catapult and lands by parachute. Speed ​​- 90-170 km/h, maximum flight altitude above sea level - 5 km. The duration of the Orlan-10 flight is about 14 hours.

As a conclusion.

Having analyzed the entire range of UAVs produced by domestic companies, we can conclude that specialists from domestic companies are capable of creating worthy examples of unmanned aerial vehicles, of course, if they have a sufficient understanding of the appearance of the final product and the tasks that it must solve.

Unmanned aircraft: terminology, classification, current state Fetisov Vladimir Stanislavovich

1.2.2.1. Aircraft-type UAV

This type of vehicle is also known as a fixed-wing UAV. The lift of these devices is created aerodynamically due to the pressure of air flowing onto the fixed wing. Devices of this type, as a rule, are characterized by a long flight duration, high maximum flight altitude and high speed.

There are a wide variety of subtypes of aircraft-type UAVs, differing in the shape of the wing and fuselage. Almost all aircraft layouts and types of fuselages that are found in manned aircraft are also applicable in unmanned aircraft. In Fig. 1.1 – 1.6 provide some examples.

In Fig. Figure 1.1 shows the experimental multi-role aircraft Proteus developed by the American company Scaled Composites. Both manned and unmanned versions of this aircraft have been developed. A special feature of the design is the tandem arrangement of the wings. Its length is 17.1 m, rear wingspan 28 m, altitude ceiling 16 km (with a load of 3.2 tons), take-off weight 5.6 tons, maximum speed 520 km/h (at an altitude of 10 km), flight duration up to 18 hours. Power plant - two turbojet engines with a thrust of 10.2 kN.

Rice. 1.1. Experimental aircraft Proteus (USA, 2006). A gondola with radar equipment is suspended under the fuselage

In Fig. Figure 1.2 shows the RQ-4 Global Hawk reconnaissance UAV, developed by the American company Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman. It is distinguished by an unusual shape of the fuselage, in the nose of which radar, optical and communications equipment is located. The device is made of composite materials based on carbon fiber and aluminum alloys, has a length of 13.5 m, a wingspan of 35 m, a take-off weight of about 15 tons, and is capable of carrying a payload weighing up to 900 kg. The RQ-4 Global Hawk can stay in the air for up to 30 hours at an altitude of up to 18 km. Maximum speed 640 km/h. The power plant is a turbojet engine with a tractive effort of 34.5 kN.

Rice. 1.2. UAV RQ-4 Global Hawk (USA, 2007)

In Fig. Figure 1.3 shows a promising combat carrier-based UAV X-47B, being developed by Northrop Grumman (USA). It is shaped like a broadly arched "V" without a tail. The wings can be folded, which is important for the limited deck area of ​​an aircraft carrier. To control the flight, the UAV is equipped with 6 working planes. Turbojet engine from the Canadian company Pratt amp; Whitney provides high flight speed for the unmanned vehicle and is located at the rear of the vehicle. The drone consists of four parts, assembled from composite materials and connected approximately in the middle of the body. The aircraft has a length of 11.6 m, a wingspan of 18.9 m (folded 9.4 m), an unladen weight of 6.3 tons, a maximum take-off weight of 20.2 tons. The cruising speed is 900 km/h. The range is 3900 km. Ceiling 12.2 km. Presumably the device will be adapted for air refueling. At the same time, the UAV will be ready, if necessary, to continuously carry out the assigned combat mission for 80 hours, which is an order of magnitude longer than the flight duration of combat aircraft with pilots.

Rice. 1.3. Northrop Grumman X-47B UAV (USA, 2013)

X-47B UCAS-D Air Vehicle System in Focus

Altitude: ›40,000 ft

Speed: High Subsonic

Weapons Payload Provisions: 4,500 lbs

Max Unrefueled Range: ›2,100 NM

Max Unrefueled Endurance: ›6 hours

Sensor Provisions: EO/IR/SAR/ESN

Air Refueling Provisions: USN/USAF

CV Demo TOGW: 44,567 lbs

CV Launch OPWOD: -3.6 kts

CV Recovery WOD: 9.3 kts

Spot Factor (F/A-18C): 0.87

In Fig. Figure 1.4 shows the MQ-9 Reaper attack UAV, developed by the American company General Atomics and in service with the US Air Force and other countries since 2007. Like many other UAVs, the device has a V-shaped tail, consisting of two inclined surfaces that perform the functions of a horizontal one. , and vertical tail. The synchronous deflection of the control surfaces plays the role of the elevator and controls pitch, and the asynchronous deflection of the rudder controls yaw. For drones, the V-shaped tail appears to be a more economical solution than the classic one. The MQ-9 Reaper is equipped with a turboprop engine that allows it to reach speeds of more than 400 km/h. The practical ceiling is 13 km. The maximum flight duration is 24 hours.

Rice. 1.4. MQ-9 Reaper UAV during a combat mission in Afghanistan, 2008.

The Viking 300 tactical UAV developed by the American company L-3 Unmanned Systems is shown in Fig. 1.5. It is built entirely from composite materials. Equipped with a two-stroke two-cylinder internal combustion engine with a power of 25 hp. with a push screw. Moreover, the propeller is located between the main wing and the tail, and not behind it, as in the previous example. The modular design makes it easy to assemble and disassemble the device. The flight duration is 8-10 hours at a cruising speed of 100 km/h. The maximum take-off weight is 144 kg, and the payload weight is 13.5 kg. The range is 50-75 km. A special feature of the device is the ability to carry out completely autonomous takeoff and landing, which can be performed not only on a concrete runway, but also on poorly prepared surfaces.

Rice. 1.5. Tactical UAV Viking 300 - developed by L-3 Unmanned Systems (USA, 2009)

Another example (Fig. 1.6) is an amateur development of a flying radio-controlled model with a disc wing. The device is distinguished by good maneuverability and the ability to maintain flight stability at low speeds.

Rice. 1.6. Radio-controlled model with disc wing

As propellers for aircraft-type devices, pulling or pushing propellers are usually used, as well as impellers (ducted fans, shrouded propellers) or jet engines.

For aircraft-type devices, a runway (runway) is usually required (Fig. 1.7 a). For some types, launch catapults are used during takeoff (Fig. 1.7 b). There are also light-class aircraft UAVs launched “from hand” (Fig. 1.7 c). When landing, a runway, a parachute (Fig. 1.8) or special catchers (cables, nets, guy wires) (Fig. 1.9) can be used.

Rice. 1.7. Various types of launch of aircraft-type UAVs: a – launch from the runway; b – launch from a catapult; c – start “by hand”

Rice. 1.8. Landing a UAV using a parachute

Rice. 1.9. Landing a UAV using a brake cable (illustration of US patent No. 7335067)

Take-offs and landings of traditional aircraft-type UAVs are a rather labor-intensive and costly process, requiring special auxiliary equipment (runways, launch and landing devices), so developers of new technology are increasingly turning to unconventional aircraft UAV designs that make it possible to create airfield-free UAS. We are talking primarily about vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. Today, there are many types of GDP devices. Many of them are hybrids of airplanes and helicopters, therefore they are discussed in the following subsections (see below - “Rotorcraft”, “Convertiplanes”). Those VTOL aircraft, which have more properties of an airplane than a helicopter, usually have a jet engine, an impeller or small propellers as propulsion. They can be conditionally divided according to the position of the fuselage during takeoff and landing into devices with a vertical fuselage position (tailsitters, from English - tailsitter) and devices with a horizontal fuselage position.

Rice. 1.10. Tailsitter SkyTote – developed by AeroVironment (USA, 2006). The main purpose is fast delivery of small cargo.

Tailsitters usually start with their tail resting on the ground. If tractor propellers are used as propulsion, they are located in the bow (as in the example shown in Fig. 1.10). Landing, as well as take-off, for such devices is usually carried out vertically. The most difficult thing for a VTOL aircraft is the transition from the vertical phase of flight to the horizontal phase and back. In the one shown in Fig. 1.10 SkyTote UAV, for example, even a special neural network controller is used to control the flight in these phases.

Recently, tailsitters are increasingly using impellers as propulsors, especially if the propulsor is a pusher and is located in the tail of the vehicle - this is energetically more favorable than a conventional propeller. An example is the development of a group of researchers at the South Korean Institute KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) (Fig. 1.11). The presented unmanned tailsitter has the ability to take off and land both vertically and horizontally (i.e., like an airplane - on a runway).

Rice. 1.11. Tailsitter developed by KAIST (South Korea, 2012): a – take-off from a vertical position; b – takeoff from the runway

A special type of tailsitter can be considered the so-called. ringplanes (or coleopters) are aircraft with a wing that, when viewed from the front, has a regular ring shape. The internal cavity of the annular wing is blown by an air stream thrown by two coaxial counter-rotating propellers located at the entrance to the wing. The tail empennage at the end of the short fuselage and the control ailerons, mounted on two profiled pylons that attach the annular wing to the fuselage, are in the zone of intense airflow from the propellers, which increases their efficiency. In 1959, in France, SNECMA built an experimental manned ring glider with a turbojet engine and tested it in a vertically suspended state (Fig. 1.12). When trying to switch to horizontal flight, a crash occurred and after that the project was closed.

Rice. 1.12. Kolceplai S-450 from SNECMA (France, 1959): a – design of the device; b – S-450 in vertical hover mode

However, these days, ring planes have received a new development, but in the form of unmanned vehicles. In Fig. Figure 1.13 shows examples of multifunctional UAVs made according to the ring plan design. An annular closed wing has its advantages (there is no flow stall at the edges, very large angles of attack are allowed, greater maneuverability, greater strength and lower mass of the wing, a good ratio of the payload mass to the total mass of the vehicle).

Rice. 1.13. Unmanned ring gliders: a – FanTail from ST Aerospace (Singapore, 2006); b – Air 250 – developed by Air Group LLC (Russia, 2010)

Shown as examples in Fig. 1.13 UAVs are designed primarily for video surveillance, and they can operate in difficult conditions - inside buildings, forests, mountain gorges and caves: the protection of the fan by the wing body makes operation safe and resistant to contact with obstacles. Vertical take-off/landing makes it possible to use UAVs from limited areas and vehicles. Both devices are powered by internal combustion engines (the Russian one also has an option with an electric motor and battery) and can reach a horizontal speed of about 150 km/h.

In recent years, there have been reports of renewed and not hopeless attempts to create a conventional (non-vertical) takeoff/landing aircraft with a closed wing. A group of enthusiasts in Belarus tested an aircraft with such a wing in 2007. It was found that in cross section it should not have a ring shape, but an ellipse shape. The prototype turned out to be very stable, maneuverable and economical in the air, and its runway length during takeoff/landing is noticeably shorter than, for example, a biplane of the same size. We can expect that unmanned aircraft implementing the described concept will soon appear.

VTOL aircraft with a horizontal fuselage position during takeoff/landing were historically previously implemented in military manned aircraft. The most famous VTOL aircraft of this class are mass-produced attack aircraft: the Soviet Yak-38 developed by the Design Bureau named after. Yakovleva and the American AV-8B Harrier developed by McDonnell Douglas (Fig. 1.14). The power plant of the Yak-38 consists of one lift-propulsion jet engine and two lifting engines, while in the AV-8B it consists of one powerful lift-propulsion engine. The thrust vector control when changing the flight mode is carried out using rotary jet nozzles. The main advantage of such VTOL aircraft is obvious - the possibility of basing on strips of limited area, in particular, on the decks of aircraft carriers. In addition, VTOL aircraft have additional advantages, namely the ability to hover, turn in this position and fly laterally. Compared to other vertically taking off aircraft, such as helicopters, VTOL aircraft have incomparably higher speeds and, in general, the advantages inherent in fixed-wing aircraft. The disadvantages of such aircraft are the complexity of control and energy inefficiency.

Rice. 1.14. Serial manned aircraft with vertical take-off and landing: a – Soviet Yak-38 attack aircraft on board the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Novorossiysk (Pacific Fleet, 1984); b – AV-8B Harrier attack aircraft of the US Marine Corps on takeoff at Freetown airport (Sierra Leone, 2003)

Unmanned VTOL aircraft with a horizontal fuselage during takeoff/landing began to appear only in the last 10 years. One example is the development by the American company American Dynamics of the military unmanned VTOL aircraft BattleHog 100x (Fig. 1.15).

Flight tests of the BattleHog 100x UAV took place in 2006. The device could remain in the air continuously for up to 8 hours. The length of the BattleHog 100x is 3.8 m, the wingspan is 5.2 m, the height is 1.5 m, the maximum take-off weight is 1450 kg, the payload is 340 kg, the ceiling height is about 7 thousand m, the maximum speed is 500 km/h, cruising – 330 km/h. Control station calculation – from 1 to 3 people. The data transmission range via the line-of-sight channel is about 250 km. BattleHog 100x is equipped with a Rolls Royce T63-A720 turbofan engine. The device can operate both in vertical take-off and landing mode and in conventional aircraft take-off and landing mode. The development of BattleHog 100x was focused on its use in battles in the city or in rugged terrain.

Rice. 1.15. Unmanned VTOL project BattleHog 100x from American Dynamics (USA, 2006)

The BattleHog 100x is supposed to be equipped with two HellFire missiles, or NURS launchers and an M134 artillery system. Kevlar armor is designed to protect the lift fan from 7.62 mm caliber bullets at a distance of up to 50 m, as well as from the effects of grenade explosions in the immediate vicinity of the device.

During tests in the forest, the device demonstrated the ability to fly below the level of treetops, which ensures its extremely low visibility. Flight around terrain, between trees or buildings is carried out using a modified Raytheon radar. The aircraft is controlled by changing the rotation speed and angle of the High Torque Aerial Lift (HTAL) fan. Its use, firstly, made it possible to sharply reduce the dimensions of the rotors, “hiding” them inside the fuselage, which at the same time made it possible to reduce their vulnerability from enemy fire. On the other hand, the HTAL system made it possible to provide the BattleHog 100x with not only a high payload capacity, but also the possibility of vertical takeoff and landing, hovering and flight at extremely low speeds, as well as, according to the developers, the unique maneuverability of the device without the use of aerodynamic control surfaces - rudders and ailerons (which also reduces vulnerability) or complex thrust vectoring systems used in modern military VTOL aircraft.

Another example of an unmanned VTOL aircraft with a horizontal fuselage is the Excalibur apparatus of the American company Aurora Flight Sciences (Fig. 1.16). It has a deployable lift-propulsion gas turbine engine, and electric impellers located in the wings and nose are used to control the position. This UAV is also intended for use as an attack aircraft and is designed to carry various missile and small arms weapons.

And another example of a UAV of the same subclass is the V-STAR device from Frontline Aerospace (USA). It has several modifications, some of which are shown in Fig. 1.17.

V-STAR was designed as a combat vehicle for universal use: for reconnaissance, tracking, target designation and search; for attacks on ground targets using on-board weapons; for the delivery of weapons, ammunition, food, medicine, etc. to the battlefield and behind the front line; for evacuation of the wounded, etc. For its operational characteristics, the V-STAR UAV received the unofficial name "Humvee of the air" ("air hummer" - by analogy with the famous American all-terrain vehicle). Main features of this device:

Rice. 1.16. UAV Excalibur - developed by the American company Aurora Flight Sciences (USA, 2009)

– 2 compact Rolls-Royce 250 gas turbine engines. Motion is transmitted both to a lift fan located in the center of the fuselage and to a propulsion pusher fan in the rear section. If one engine fails, the device can continue flying and land on the remaining one. In normal mode, both engines operate simultaneously only during takeoff, when you need to lift the device off the ground. During horizontal flight, the main fan drives only one engine, while the second one does not work at this time, saving fuel;

– a special energy-saving technology makes the device efficient in transporting cargo and suitable for long-distance flights: V-STAR is designed to transport cargo up to 180 kg with a maximum take-off weight of 1.06 tons. The highest speed is 533 km/h. The flight range is 1316 km with a full load; when the cargo mass is reduced to 15 kg, the range increases to 5570 km. The flight duration (with a load of 50 kg) is about 20 hours;

Rice. 1.17. UAV V-STAR from Frontline Aerospace (USA, 2009): a – basic model; b – modification with increased flight duration and range; c – V-STAR in flight; d – UAV layout

– the load in the machine is located in the center of gravity of the unit (inside the cylindrical compartment around which the lifting fan blades rotate), so loading/unloading does not disturb the alignment of the device;

– special wing design. The main wings are a diamond-shaped “whatnot”, which ensures stable horizontal flight, and at the same time does not limit the rate of climb. Additional short wings can be deployed at the tips to increase low-speed lifting capacity;

– vertical take-off/landing or conventional aircraft take-off/landing with a short runway. In flight - the ability to quickly switch from slow loitering to an instant throw towards the target;

– The V-STAR UAV has a very high transport efficiency indicator, which is calculated as the product of speed, flight range and payload, divided by the total take-off weight. According to this indicator, the device is ahead of many UAVs of aircraft and helicopter types.

To conclude the topic of aircraft-type vehicles with vertical takeoff and landing, it is necessary to mention the existence of another special type of UAV - devices with a rigid umbrella-shaped wing, based on the Coanda effect. Although these devices bear little resemblance to airplanes, in terms of the principle of flight they still best correspond to this classification group.

The Coanda effect is a physical phenomenon so named because in 1932 the Romanian scientist Henri Coanda discovered that a flow of liquid or gas tends to deviate towards the wall of a body with a curved surface and, under certain conditions, sticks to it, instead of continuing to move in initial direction. The Coanda effect occurs when a layer of air is supplied to the surface through a narrow slot. This thin velocity layer traps the surrounding air. As a result, the so-called spreading jet - a semi-confined jet that always develops only along the surface of the fence. The propagation range of the spreading jet increases approximately 1.2 times compared to a constrained jet (i.e., a jet limited on all sides, as in a pipe). Thus, a jet that spreads onto a surface has a greater range under other identical conditions than a jet that does not spread.

An aircraft based on the Coanda effect is designed quite simply: a fan or jet engine is installed above the umbrella-shaped surface, creating an air flow that exits through a narrow slot and covers the curved surface. The flow rate simulation results are shown in Fig. 1.18.

Rice. 1.18. Results of modeling air flow speed along an umbrella-shaped surface (based on research by Jean-Louis Naudin, 2006)

In recent years, a number of researchers and companies have conducted quite successful experiments on the implementation of the Coanda effect in relation to the construction of UAVs. Thus, in the UK, the AESIR company tested the Embler experimental apparatus, demonstrating the possibilities of using the effect. The device is made of a carbon fiber body. The fan drive is an electric motor. The device can remain in the air for up to 10 minutes. The direction of movement in this UAV is controlled using controlled flaps in the outlet slot of the fan duct (yaw control), as well as using four flaps at the edge of the umbrella-shaped surface (roll and pitch control).

Rice. 1.19. Embler UAV from AESIR, whose flight principle is based on the Coanda effect (UK, 2009)

AESIR also announced its plans to build a whole line of devices based on the Coanda effect. They differ in their size and load capacity. The largest of them, called Hoder, is shown in Fig. 1.20. This UAV has 2 fan propulsors driven by internal combustion engines. The angle of the fan blades is adjustable. Unlike the prototype shown in Fig. 1.19, the Hoder UAV has streamlined surfaces made without any aerodynamic controls at all. And motion control is carried out by changing the ratio of rotation parameters and angles of fan blades. The vehicle's own weight is 1500 kg, payload weight is 500 kg. The UAV is designed to perform local transport missions lasting up to 8 hours. Such a device has an advantage when used compared to conventional helicopters in urban environments, wooded and mountainous areas, where there is a high probability of damage to the helicopter's main rotor. For the proposed device, small collisions with obstacles cannot disrupt its operation.

Rice. 1.20. Promising UAV Hoder from AESIR (UK, 2009): a – general view of the device; b – exhibition sample