Russia is developing a cheap pocket-size reconnaissance drone and other miniature UAVs, which can be easily replaced if shot down on the battle field.
“Right now we are working on several types of UAVs,” Russia’s United Instrument Corporation said in a statement. “Each drone or a group of drones will be chosen to perform specific missions depending on the objective, weather conditions and the landscape,” the company added.
The Russian mini-UAVs will challenge the 16-gram Norwegian-built Black Hornet drone, which is currently used by the US Marine Corps’ Special Ops units.
All the drones in the line are dragonfly-sized copters, which are easy to control, maneuver and maintain, according to the manufacturer.
The operational rage of the aircraft will be enough to carry out battlefield reconnaissance as well as take part in law enforcement and anti-terrorist operations.
“Such drones are relatively cheap and can be quickly replaced if shot down or malfunctioning, and this is what makes them so special,” the statement added.
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The copters will capture and transfer HD videos and photos in real time, allowing the operator to identify even the tiniest details on the ground. Another important feature of the drones is their ease of use, United Instrument Corporation said. Controlling them will require a very short learning curve, and mere minutes needed to make the aircraft operational.