New russian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Are Set to Replace the Orlan-10 and Orlan-30 Drones
russian Special Technological Center is working on the development of a new generation of unmanned aerial vehicles, aimed at eventually replacing widely used Orlan-10 and Orlan-30 reconnaissance drones. This information was shared by Roman Ivanov, the chief designer of the center, in media reports. While specific details about the new UAVs remain undisclosed, the project is believed to be in the early stages of development.
According to Roman Ivanov, the upcoming UAVs will share certain characteristics with the existing Orlan series, such as wings, engines, and target equipment, but will incorporate updates based on requirements outlined by the Ministry of Defense of russia. The project has faced delays due to ongoing military demands, especially with the state defense order for existing systems taking priority.
The Orlan-10 drone, which first flew in 2010, has seen extensive use in Ukraine since 2014. Its successor, the Orlan-30 drone, began serial production in 2020. The upcoming UAVs are expected to enhance key performance features such as flight range, air time, and payload capacity, though they are unlikely to represent a completely new design.
New technological developments, such as countermeasures against first-person view drones, may be integrated into the next-generation UAVs. As the war between russia and Ukraine continues, the side that can produce and deploy more advanced UAVs will likely gain a significant tactical advantage in the battlefield.