Military experience for civil UAVs
UAV operator at work
In recent years, our country has seen a significant growth in unmanned aircraft production. The industry—from large enterprises to enthusiast groups—is developing and bringing new military UAVs into mass production. This equipment is being deployed to the military and is being actively used for its intended purpose. It is expected that in the foreseeable future, unmanned aircraft will be used in a variety of applications. aviation UAS systems will also become widespread in the civilian sector, where they will be used to solve a wide range of applied problems, from infrastructure monitoring to logistics in hard-to-reach areas.
Visible progress
Since 2022, the main impetus for the development of domestic unmanned aviation has been a special military operation. UAS and UAVs of all major classes, as well as support systems—from control stations to maintenance stations—are being developed for the army. At the same time, several technologies that would have seemed exotic just five years ago have been developed and implemented.
The most indicative is the development of the lungs drones-copters. From reconnaissance vehicles, they have evolved into weapons carriers and kamikaze drones with built-in warheads—just remember the widespread use of FPV-dronesReconnaissance and strike systems, including disposable ones, have emerged in the medium and heavy categories: the Lancet, Kub, and Geran have become typical examples of this category. According to STC General Designer Roman Ivanov, annual production of the Orlan-10 family alone now exceeds a thousand units.
The Supercam S-350 reconnaissance UAV before launch.
At the same time, equipment for UAVs is being developed. In response to the widespread use of systems EW Navigation and communication devices are being improved—interference-resistant receivers, inertial modules, and secure channels. A radical solution has also been implemented: a wired control channel based on optical fiber, allowing for communication to be maintained even under the heaviest electronic countermeasures. Optoelectronic and radio-technical devices, as well as specialized weapons for drones, are being developed.
The scale of government support for the industry is expressed in concrete figures. The national project "Unmanned Aircraft Systems," launched in 2024, has allocated over 283 billion rubles through 2030, including 250 billion rubles from the federal budget. Twenty research and production centers have been established across the country, with over 400 companies registered as residents by the beginning of 2026. In 2024, civilian drone production increased more than 2,5-fold, reaching 16,400 units; by 2030, the Ministry of Industry and Trade projects annual production to reach 46,200 units, with domestic production accounting for over 70%.
A significant portion of existing UAVs could be "converted" and find application not only in the military but also in civilian applications. Furthermore, the development of fundamentally new non-military UAVs based on recent technologies is possible. As Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Vasily Shpak stated in December 2025, "the era of dividing unmanned technologies into civilian and military is over"—and this statement accurately captures the essence of the current stage.
Application in industries
It's worth noting that UAVs have long found applications outside the military. Such equipment is used by civilian and commercial entities across a variety of industries. For these customers, the domestic industry produces a range of UAS models—both original designs and those related to military projects.
Non-military customers are primarily interested in UAVs with optics. These devices are used for patrolling territories and facilities, monitoring the situation, and surveying hard-to-reach areas. Drones have already been adopted by forestry services, oil and gas companies, emergency services, and agriculture.
The examples are quite concrete. Rosneft has been using UAVs to inspect pipelines since 2016: the frequency of overflights has doubled, costs have been reduced by approximately a third compared to helicopters, and early detection of fires and leaks has already prevented several potential accidents. Rosseti PJSC uses Supercam family devices to inspect power lines—inspection costs have been reduced by approximately 60%, and the inspection is carried out without disconnecting consumers. Worth mentioning separately is the "Dragonfly" unmanned platform from "Lab of the Future," designed for inspecting power lines with voltages from 35 to 500 kV directly on the live line.
EOS drone "Orlan-10"
A textbook example of successful conversion is the Orlan-10 itself. Designed as a reconnaissance and fire adjustment system, it has been used to monitor forest fires since 2020. In Buryatia, operators artillery Units reassigned to civilian missions used it to monitor forested areas covering approximately 500 square kilometers—surveillance was conducted ten hours a day, with a total flight time of over 250 hours during the season, and routes were constantly adjusted according to the situation. In 2022, the Orlan-10 participated in a pilot project between the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the government of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug to use UAVs in the Arctic. It was used to assess the polar bear population on Wrangel Island and the Bear Islands in Yakutia. In 2022–2023, over a thousand bears were recorded using UAVs there. The versatility of the Orlan-10, coupled with a range of up to 120 km (up to 600 km in relay versions) and a flight endurance of up to 16 hours, makes it one of the most sought-after platforms for large-area missions.
Camera-equipped drones have naturally found application in film and television, as well as among creative teams. This technology allows for capturing spectacular aerial footage at minimal cost and without the need for a full-fledged aircraft. In recent years, the FPV format—a first-person view camera that gives the viewer the sensation of flying through space—has carved out a niche in commercial video production.
The potential of FPV cameras, however, extends far beyond filming. Their high maneuverability, compact size, and "drone-eye" control make them ideal for inspecting complex and hard-to-reach objects—the interiors of tanks, process galleries, mine shafts, and collapsed structures. In search and rescue operations, FPV allows operators to navigate through narrow openings, peer into basements and rubble, and assess the situation in environments where humans are either inaccessible or only accessible at significant risk. This field is still in its infancy in Russia, but the conversion of frontline experience promises rapid results—the necessary personnel and equipment are already available.
Experiments are underway using light and medium-class unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for cargo transportation. The VT-440M helicopter UAV has been in operation in Yamal for several years, delivering cargo weighing up to 100 kg for an oil and gas company. The BAS-200, developed by the Kamov Design Bureau (part of Rostec Corporation), is close to serial civilian use. It is a heavy helicopter UAV with a maximum takeoff weight of 185 kg and a payload capacity of up to 50 kg, capable of operating at temperatures down to -30°C, and has been tested in Arctic conditions. According to industry estimates, the time savings for the Far North could be up to sixfold compared to manned aircraft.
Agricultural equipment can be considered a special case of cargo UAVs. Here, the aircraft carries a container of chemicals and sprays them on the field, replacing more expensive and less precise ground or small aircraft.
Another area where drones have effectively become a common tool is environmental conservation. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, the agency has acquired more than 1600 drones over the past two years, and they are most widely used in forest fire protection: the devices allow for early detection of fires, pinpointing their extent, and determining extinguishing tactics. Aerial monitoring is conducted in remote and inaccessible areas where ground control is limited; in Kamchatka and Sakhalin, drones monitor gray whales, sea otters, Steller sea lions, and bird colonies. The technology also helps identify poaching.
It's also worth mentioning those applications that the general public associates with the frontline, but which are actually already saving civilian lives. There are known cases where reconnaissance UAV crews in border areas have detected civilians in dangerous situations and directed rescuers to them—with conventional reconnaissance equipment operating exactly as it would in a civilian search and rescue operation. This is conversion in its natural form: the same platform, the same operator skills, different tasks.
A variety of modern UAVs have found their way into the civilian market. The Chinese company DJI's line of lightweight multicopters is extremely popular. In the heavier segment, the Supercam series of unmanned aircraft from the Unmanned Systems group, the Orlan-10 in a version adapted for civilian customers, and products from Geoscan, ZALA, Laboratory of the Future, and several other Russian developers are used. According to Aeronext, the total number of organizations in the domestic UAV market has exceeded 1,000—about a third of which are developers and manufacturers, and about 17% are professional operators.
Legal framework
The development of the civilian UAV segment is taking place within a developing, albeit sometimes contradictory, regulatory framework. The initial legal foundation was established by Federal Law No. 258-FZ, which singled out unmanned aerial systems as a separate subject of state regulation. However, the regulatory environment long remained one of the industry's main constraints: regional flight restrictions blocked, according to various estimates, up to 70% of commercial missions, making it virtually impossible for private businesses to legally operate either their own drone fleets or the services of professional operators. Alexey Yuretsky, CEO of Geoscan, described this situation bluntly: the market was shrinking to government organizations and their direct contractors.
In 2025–2026, a qualitative shift occurred in this direction. Following a meeting with the President in January 2025, the government issued a decree introducing a separate airspace class, "H," specifically for unmanned aerial vehicles. Russia became one of the few countries to establish such a class. At altitudes of up to 150 m, flight plans are no longer required for aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of up to 30 kg—a radical simplification for the mass-market light aircraft segment. For larger UAVs, special routes have been introduced in airspace up to 3050 m with a simplified permitting procedure—these routes are published by the Federal Air Transport Agency in the Aeronautical Information Collection.
On March 1, 2026, a unified UAV identification system based on the ERA-GLONASS state information system was launched. Civilian drone flight routes are transmitted to regulatory authorities on a second-by-second basis; the service costs 560 rubles per month for commercial operators. According to Alexey Raikevich, CEO of JSC GLONASS, the infrastructure has been preliminarily tested in 16 regions, with a combined flight time of over 500 km. The system's launch is seen in the industry as a turning point—effectively opening the skies to legal commercial use cases.
A parallel mechanism, Experimental Legal Regimes (ELR), is in operation—a tool that allows businesses and government agencies to test innovative approaches in a context of relaxed regulation, thereby identifying optimal standards before codifying them in general legislation. By the end of 2025, the ELR for civilian UAVs was operational in 24 regions; over 140 flights had been conducted within its framework, and over 350 hectares of agricultural land had been processed. Separate programs for ice reconnaissance along the Northern Sea Route are next in line.
Nevertheless, the industry's regulatory backlog continues. Not a single full certificate for a heavy-duty civilian UAV has been issued in Russia yet. The closest to receiving full approval were Rostec's BAS-200 (185 kg) and the civilian version of one of the military heavy-duty UAVs (over a ton). This problem—along with the shortage of service personnel and service providers—will inevitably shift from military to civilian UAVs. This is a natural path, traversed by both aviation in general and satellite navigation.
Small Ammunition Release Device
Modern materials and production technologies offer significant potential for this type of "conversion." Military UAVs are primarily designed for mass production, which places strict demands on design, manufacturability, and cost. These developments should also be applied to civilian UAVs, where cost reduction could become a decisive competitive advantage, particularly in competition with mass-produced Chinese products. At the same time, import substitution for critical components is being addressed: the Ural company Newlink, for example, plans to launch serial production of UAV servos in Yekaterinburg by 2027, with a total investment of approximately 600 million rubles.
Civilian organizations primarily acquire UAVs equipped with optoelectronic systems (OES). Depending on their needs, these include video cameras, thermal imagers, and multispectral modules. For military drones, optical systems with improved image quality, stabilization, and multiple channels for various purposes are being developed. All such devices—both in their original form and with modifications—can find a place in the commercial market. Thermal imaging monitoring, originally developed for detecting camouflaged targets, now reduces the cost of diagnosing energy and oil and gas infrastructure by 30–50% compared to manned aircraft or foot patrols.
In the military, control systems based on miniature computers and specialized software, including elements of artificial intelligence, are used. Such drones can not only navigate a route and apply payloads at specified points, but also perform more complex tasks, such as independently classifying objects, responding to external factors, and performing adaptive mission planning.
Yolka interceptor drone
These systems are also of interest to the civilian sector, provided the software is customized to meet the needs of a non-military customer. UAVs equipped with such equipment will be able to autonomously patrol, search for objects based on specified characteristics, and perform preliminary data analysis. A prime example is the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations' testing of the ZALA ZARYA system with the IRRA onboard hardware and software suite: the device analyzes images in real time, highlights fires, and generates automatic reports for calculations. Efficiency is not compromised, and the operator workload is reduced: a single person can control several patrol UAVs simultaneously, increasing the overall system's efficiency. According to industry estimates, nine out of ten Russian civilian UAV developers already recognize the need to use AI, and approximately 60% of companies are using such technologies in practice.
Payload transport and delivery devices hold great potential. In the future, cargo UAVs should find their place in certain logistics segments—especially in the "last mile" and in hard-to-reach areas. They are equally in demand in search and rescue operations and disaster response: a light or medium drone can reach victims and deliver supplies before humans arrive.
It's possible that the terrorist threat posed by attack UAVs will persist for the foreseeable future. In this case, civilian customers may become interested in interceptor drones like the Yolka. For obvious reasons, kinetic interception drones, which don't require special weapons approvals, will receive the most attention.
Niche applications
A number of military UAV solutions have limited, rather than broad, potential for civilian use. Their implementation is justified in specific scenarios and requires careful consideration, both from a technical and economic perspective.
Lightweight unmanned "bombers" and loitering munitions can be adapted for civilian use. UAVs with drop devices are capable of precisely delivering small payloads—such technology is already being used on the front lines, and the same approach is being used in rescue operations and final-stage delivery.
The idea of converting loitering munitions themselves is also interesting. "Combat units" for firefighting could be created: such a device could quickly detect a fire and "attack" it, preventing the spread of the fire. Firefighting loitering munitions (LB) are of direct interest to forest protection and the Ministry of Emergency Situations, especially given that the agency already has more than 1600 drones, and integrating specialized devices into this fleet seems a logical step.
Another specific technology is fiber-optic control. It emerged as a response to the development of electronic warfare and allows for maintaining communication even in challenging jamming environments. Standard models carry a reel of cable ranging from several hundred meters to 10–20 km in length, providing high-resolution video transmission with virtually no latency and complete immunity to radio interference. Civilian UAVs rarely encounter active jamming systems, meaning such equipment is generally overkill for them. However, completely abandoning wired communication is not recommended: fiber optics are in demand for inspecting industrial facilities with high levels of electromagnetic noise, for work in confined spaces such as sewers, tunnels, and large production facilities, and for applications requiring guaranteed transmission of an uncompressed video stream.
Cables with a metallic conductor deserve special mention. They make it possible to build so-called tethered UAVs, which receive power from the ground. Such a device can stay in the air many times longer than any autonomous one—and still perform its mission. This technology is especially useful for long-term situational monitoring, from perimeter security to communications relay.
In two spheres
To date, domestic unmanned aircraft manufacturing has demonstrated significant military success. A wide range of UAS and UAVs for various purposes has been developed, along with numerous payloads, control systems, and support systems. A significant portion of these developments have been adopted by the military and are being used in the current Second Military Operation.
Clearly, the industry will not be limited to military projects. The foundation for expanding the civilian segment is being laid from two directions: technologically, through developments honed in combat, and institutionally, through the national project, the new "H" airspace class, a unified identification system based on ERA-GLONASS, and experimental legal regimes in two dozen regions. Three areas appear to be the most likely "first breakthrough points": optical monitoring of extended facilities (oil and gas, power lines, forest protection), "last mile" and logistics in hard-to-reach areas, and firefighting drones with AI elements. In the more distant future, urban logistics and interceptor drones for protecting civilian infrastructure are also on the horizon; however, the speed of their development will be limited less by technology than by regulations, certification of heavy civilian UAVs, and personnel training. The Ministry of Industry and Trade's forecast of 46,2 thousand units in 2030 appears ambitious, but if the current rate of government support is maintained, it is entirely achievable.
In preparing this material, data from the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Federal Air Transport Agency, the NTI analytical platforms Aeronet and Aeronext, and public statements from representatives of the development companies were used.
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