"Make the drone fully autonomous": the report of the Russian TV about the UAV "Okhotnik" aroused interest abroad

In foreign countries, a report by journalists from the Rossiya 1 TV channel about the newest Russian shock drum aroused great interest. drone "Hunter". The film crew of this TV channel became the first group of reporters who were allowed by the Ministry of Defense to film not only the drone, but also the control point.

In the report, the name of the chief designer of the UAV "Okhotnik" was named. This is Sergei Bibikov, who works for the Sukhoi company. He appeared in the frame and told reporters about some of the features of the drone.

In particular, "Okhotnik" became the first drone in Russia, created using "stealth" technology. Its body is made of, as noted by Alexander Rogatkin, of a unique composite material.

The Western blogosphere complained that in the report on Russian TV did not specify which specific composite was being discussed. Apparently, they were going to get all the information right away ...

The report of "Russia 1" also told about the management of "Okhotnik". At this stage, this control is entrusted to the most experienced test pilot Hero of Russia Yevgeny Frolov, who uses special joysticks to control the combat vehicle, tracking the flight mode and parameters of the UAV on several monitors.

Evgeny Frolov:

There are manual controls here, which, in principle, correspond to the manned vehicle. In the future, this device will be purely automatic. Most likely, there will be no such governing bodies.

Western experts note that the main goal at the moment has become clear from the reportage - to make the Okhotnik drone completely autonomous.

Also, interest among foreign experts was aroused by the fact that Russia was able to create the UAV "Okhotnik" in an extremely short time. According to the designer, we are talking about a period of 3 years, which is really unprecedentedly small for this type of equipment.

Russian news report about domestic combat drones - Okhotnik, Altius, Orion, Orlan-10, Pchela and Tu-141. pic.twitter.com/dYNILQjCov

- Samuel Bendett (@SamBendett) February 21, 2021

Comments

[Victor_B]

Ground control is understandable.
The offline mode according to the program is also understandable.
But the mode of following / interacting with the leading Su-57 (or with a different board) is a novelty. Moreover, the Su-57 is single, which means that the pilot cannot pay much attention to controlling the drone.
This means that the drone must independently track and repeat the maneuvers of the leader, as well as attack or catch a rocket on command.

[prior]

I suppose that the SU-57 has a control unit that, regardless of the pilot, issues flight control commands to the drone - "do as I do", taking into account the location in the formation.
And the commands for weapons are given by the pilot.

[Victor_B]

Quote: prior

I suppose that the SU-57 has a control unit that, regardless of the pilot, issues flight control commands to the drone - "do as I do", taking into account the location in the formation.
And the commands for weapons are given by the pilot.

I agree, but the drone must somehow track the position of the leader in space.
Maintain a distance during sharp maneuvers.

[prior]

It is not the drone that tracks the master, but the master gives the drone the necessary signals - speed, direction, altitude, and the drone simply withstands them. This is quite simple.
Possibly there is also feedback and a corresponding error correction. Digitally, it's not difficult.

[Victor_B]

Quote: prior

Possibly there is also a feedback and a corresponding error correction.

Must be required.
But the distance should be determined not by the communication channel, but by your own means of the drone and the leader.
So there must be some kind of locator, but something serious from the side and from the back is not visible, again, as with "stealth" to be if the radar is on.

[Observer2014]

Quote: prior

I suppose that the SU-57 has a control unit that, regardless of the pilot, issues flight control commands to the drone - "do as I do", taking into account the location in the formation.
And the commands for weapons are given by the pilot.

Any "negotiations" between the master and the slave completely unmask the tandem in terms of "invisibility" And secondly, there can be no talk of any control of one pilot of his own and another UAV in battle. The pilot is just a man. Not "Julius Caesar" Try to ride auto and also operate a radio-controlled machine.
So we will look at the further development of this technique in their bundle, because they alone can do this one thing, but their declared work in a bundle is completely different.

[prior]

In the pilot version, the place in the ranks is supported visually, why the automation cannot do this with the help of optics, because unmanned vehicles somehow react to the situation.
And the pilot can easily execute the command "launch" from the drone's weapon. The situation is very similar to the distribution of targets between the MIG-31 interceptor link.
It looks like we're discussing something we don't know exactly.

[Ros 56]

The main thing is that things have gone well, and then we will surprise opponents in the ascending order. At first they will yell about cartoons, then they will get used to the idea that they can get their foreheads too.

[Jacket in stock]

interest among foreign experts was aroused by the fact that Russia was able to create the “Okhotnik” UAV in an extremely short time. According to the designer, we are talking about a period of 3 years

yes, like a bum, the device has not yet been created.
Only a prototype was made.
So how many times it will take another 3 years, we do not know.

[Piramidon]

Quote: Jacket in stock

yes, like a bum, the device has not yet been created.

Yes, we have nothing created, nothing, and in general, everything is gone! You were shown a flying machine undergoing testing, but, as always, you need to whine and spit on everything.

[jaroff]

I will correct. Not a prototype, but a demonstrator

[Jacket in stock]

Quote: Piramidon

You were shown a flying machine undergoing testing, but, as always, you need to whine and spit on everything.

Where and where did I spit?
And the tests can last for years and years. The more complex the system and the more new components it contains, the usually longer these tests and the more alterations and improvements.
So a lot of time will pass from a prototype to a full-fledged device, and no one, neither the designer, nor, especially we, know how much. For we do not know the future.

[Snail N9]

"Stealth" without a flat nozzle is not "stealth".

[El Chuvachino]

It's time to admit that the F-35 is not "stealth".

[Thrifty]

Yeah, accidentally see "burned" - it does not exist in one copy! !! And, three more pieces are being built, with a flat nozzle, a more flattened fuselage, more PN! And, in general, for its joint flight with the Su57, it is necessary to create a pair of Su57 two-seaters, so that the C70 operator would sit in second place, and the fighter pilot would take up purely his duties! It is easier to control from the plane when you have such a view from the flight altitude, and the delays in making a decision, as well as the return of a particular command, are much less than when flying from the ground. And, ideally, the C70 should have an analogue of AND, for independent decision-making, and self-control in flight.

[askort154]

Evgeny Frolov:
There are manual controls here, which, in principle, correspond to the manned vehicle. In the future, this device will be purely in the machine. There are already such controls, withmost likely it won't.

Most likely it won't be ......? The test pilot's uncertainty is straining that the Hunter will be a 100% autonomous UAV. So it is still very "raw".

[Volodin]

Quote: askort154

Most likely it won't be ......? Strains the test pilot's uncertainty

So a test pilot - to test and report on the progress and results of tests. Therefore, by definition, he cannot say anything beyond assumptions. That is what designers and customers are for

[askort154]

Volodin ...... Therefore, by definition, he cannot say anything further than assumptions. That's what designers and customers are for

Alexey, test pilot, is a "living" link between the designer and the product. All mistakes of the designer are revealed first - the test pilot. a true constructor, always using the pilot's notes. And the test pilot perfectly knows the technical and design features
product that he is testing.

[vfwfr]

The Yankees, they are all tame .. so what? no one says that they are raw ...

[Konstantin Gogolev]

With self-positioning capability and AI, it would be a good "killer thing". Living pilots will essentially become "shepherds". "

[Prax1]

The nozzle needs to be changed, and that's really good. There is also a radar on it

[Knell wardenheart]

Well, this is "Russia-1" - they will talk about their own orbital station IN THE FUTURE, about the base on the moon, about the fact that "Nuclon" is already under construction and, of course, that there is growth and development in all respects .. it’s ridiculous to actually perceive an almost black-eyed sample of agitprop as a source of worthwhile information. The fact that a certain "directive" freedom will be allowed for the device IN THE FUTURE is most likely, but I would be careful not to call it "autonomy", but the hypanuli could beautifully hyip this.

[andr327]

The level of journalists, alas, is not so high, they did not publish so much nonsense, or they were told what to say.

[Ramadan]

"The main goal at the moment is to make the Hunter drone fully autonomous." - I think this is the main thing in this article.
Lack of communication with the "outside world" excludes the possibility of its interception, at least from electronic warfare means.

[Vadim Ananyin]

What kind of composite are we talking about? Apparently, they were going to get all the information right away ...
Some strange guys, can I give them the keys from where the money is?
And if ours did, then this is no longer a bad thing, maybe that's why they are, in fact, also happy.
Good luck to developers and designers! Experience the son of difficult mistakes!