New Russian heavy transport drone is already in the air

The first flight tests of the Russian unmanned aerial vehicle “Partizan” have already started. The transport aircraft is capable of transporting up to a ton of cargo over a distance of up to a thousand kilometers. And this is just the beginning - when the UAV goes into production, new, more productive models will be developed.


The tests are carried out by specialists from the Siberian Aviation Research Institute named after Chaplygin. The key feature of the Partizan is that it is an ultra-short take-off and landing UAV.

But that's not all. The plane was made universal, double-action. If necessary, it can be controlled by a pilot. By the way, the first flight went exactly like this. The UAV electronics had to be trained before sending the equipment into the air on their own.


Flight tests of the Partizan began later than planned. Previously it was assumed that they would be completed by the end of 2023. At the same time, there was talk that a dozen similar aircraft would be built in 2024. It’s hard to say whether the latter will work out. After all, the tests have just started at the Novosibirsk airfield.

The first flight took 20 minutes. To ensure the safety of the equipment, the UAV was piloted by a person. Now design engineers are conducting training on on-board electronics - all the necessary measurements for this have been taken and recorded. It is quite possible that the next test flight will take place without human participation. The SibNIA press service is still silent on this matter.

The first flight took place at an altitude of 200 meters. The goal is to prove the effectiveness of UAVs at ultra-low speeds for this class of equipment. Engineers are already claiming that Partizan is superior to most of its analogues. Moreover, regardless of their country of manufacture.

Thanks to its unique design, which includes an active airflow system located along the lower wing, the UAV is perfectly controlled at speeds less than 50 km/h. At the end of the tests, the Partizan developers hope to achieve the stated characteristics. This is a flight range of up to a thousand kilometers with a load of up to a ton.


As for takeoffs and landings, they must be carried out on an area measuring 50 by 50 meters. Such parameters will allow the Partizan to be used where previously only helicopters were used.

The creators say that the scope of application of the new UAV is diverse. Such equipment can be used in rescue operations, transporting cargo and passengers. Of course, in the latter case you will need a pilot.

But this is due only to the peculiarities of the legislation. And passengers are unlikely to risk entrusting their lives to electronics. Although, the Partizan design itself is considered safe. But alas, “autopilot” in Russia, and in a number of other countries, is not yet allowed even on cars.