Inferno drone bomber
Light and medium UAVs have gained particular importance. Photo by the Russian Ministry of Defense
Drone aviation The Russian army is being replenished with a new type of equipment. It became known about the start of serial production and deliveries of the promising attack unmanned aerial vehicle "Inferno". This product is an ultra-light bomber and is intended to destroy ground and surface targets. The new UAV differs from a number of other models of its class in its improved combat capabilities.
New for the army
The promising attack UAV “Inferno” was developed by Rustekhdron LLC from the Moscow region. This organization was created by a group of enthusiasts and officially began operations in the fall of 2022. The time that has passed since then has been usefully spent, and now the company can report on its first serious successes.
Until recently, nothing was reported about the Inferno project. Information about him was revealed only a few days ago, in mid-January. The management of Rustekhdron told the main domestic media about the work carried out and its results, and also revealed some technical details.
It is reported that to date the company has completed the development of the Inferno product, carried out the necessary tests and brought the project to the stage of mass production. The first batches of new UAVs have already been sent to the troops and entered the zone of the Special Operation to protect Donbass. We are already talking about hundreds drones, but their exact number, for obvious reasons, is not stated.
The Inferno UAV was created as an ultra-light bomber capable of attacking targets at tactical depth. To do this, he received a special release device carrying several miniature “air bombs” made on the basis of available ammunition. The simultaneous release of several bombs is envisaged, which has a positive effect on the strike potential of the drone. Measures were also taken to improve bombing accuracy and survivability in combat situations.
View from the FPV drone's heading camera. Photo Telegram / BOBR
It is curious that the appearance of the new drone-bomber has not yet been revealed. The use of such a technique has also not yet been demonstrated. However, we can expect that photos and videos of this kind will appear in the very near future, and the continued production and supply of UAVs will contribute to their speedy publication.
According to known data
Recent publications about the Inferno product mention some of its tactical and technical characteristics and name its combat capabilities. However, other information is not yet available. In particular, the class and architecture of this UAV have not been clearly named, although known data suggests that we are talking about a helicopter with several rotor-engine groups.
Judging by the stated characteristics, the Inferno can have a diameter of up to a meter with the corresponding dimensions of the rotors, etc. The power plant is probably built in the simplest way - based on electrical components. Accordingly, there is a battery of sufficient capacity and a controller on board to control several motors. The Inferno's payload is reported to be up to 4 kg. Based on this, the total mass of the device can be estimated at 10-12 kg.
The flight performance characteristics of the UAV have not been specified. Only the range of action of the unmanned system is openly mentioned - 5 km. After solving a combat mission or running out of battery power, the drone must return to the operator to prepare for the next flight.
"Inferno" has a remote control based on the FPV principle. There is a directional camera on board the drone that transmits a video signal to the operator’s glasses and ensures flight. An interesting innovation is a separate camera aimed at the lower hemisphere. With its help, the operator must search for targets and carry out bombing.
Device for dropping grenades from the Orlan UAV. Perhaps a similar system is used on Inferno. Photo by the Russian Ministry of Defense
The UAV is equipped with an ammunition release device of a curious design. It has nine slots for miniature bombs, as well as a release control mechanism. At the operator's command, three munitions are dropped simultaneously; The size of the ammunition load allows three such bombings to be carried out sequentially.
The design of the release device allows the use of different types of ammunition. These can be VOG series grenades in their original form or with an added shank, as well as specialized factory-produced weapons for UAVs. The impact on the target and its effect directly depend on the class and type of ammunition used.
Design potential
So far, not all information about the Inferno UAV that is of interest has been disclosed. However, the available data allow us to make assumptions and preliminary conclusions. There is reason to believe that such a drone has a number of important features and in some respects is superior to other modern strike systems of domestic and foreign production.
The most important feature of the Inferno is its relatively high payload capacity - up to 4 kg, which is several times higher than that of a number of common UAVs. Of interest is a solution with a release device that has cells for small ammunition. It allows you to drop several “bombs” at the same time and repeat the attack. The vast majority of modern attack UAVs carry only one weapon and face understandable limitations.
The release device is compatible with a variety of ammunition. First of all, grenades for automatic and under-barrel grenade launchers are considered as an aviation weapon, showing a high lethal effect on “soft” targets. It is also reported about the introduction of specialized cumulative “air bombs” capable of hitting armored vehicles, and in the least protected projection.
Revolving release system from KBP-71
The Rustekhdron company has solved the issue of controlling a drone in an interesting way. For flight and piloting, the FPV principle and corresponding instruments are used. In this case, target search and ammunition release are carried out using a separate camera, thereby increasing the achievable accuracy. Allegedly, the sighting camera allows you to bomb a target from level flight and without hovering. Accordingly, the UAV does not become an easy target for enemy air defense and electronic warfare.
Recent media publications have not addressed the issues of the new UAV’s resistance to enemy influence, primarily of an electronic nature. It is possible that appropriate measures have been taken in the project, but we should not talk about them yet.
The stated performance characteristics raise some questions. So, the range of “Inferno” is still only 5 km. This is enough to solve some combat missions, but often there is a need to work at greater depth. Perhaps in the future, as the original project develops, the combat radius will increase and will allow the technical potential of the design to be more fully realized.
Initiative and benefit
Thus, the domestic industry continues to develop and put into production new models of unmanned aircraft, and new participants are regularly included in this process. The Rustekhdron company began operations less than a year and a half ago, but its products in the amount of hundreds of units are already being supplied to the troops and used as part of the Special Operation.
New enterprises in the unmanned aircraft industry are proposing and implementing various interesting ideas, and they are being tested in practice. Thus, within the framework of the Inferno project, more advanced principles for controlling an attack UAV and a new device for the use of weapons were proposed. We can expect that these solutions will perform well at the front and will become widespread in various unmanned vehicle projects in the future.
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