Over-the-horizon radio communication makes it possible to significantly increase the effective controlled range of an unmanned aerial vehicle, said Sergey Bogatikov, CEO of Kronshtadt JSC
DUBAI, November 13. /tass/. The Kronstadt company will equip Orion drones with a satellite communication system, which it will offer to other drone manufacturers as a component. This was announced to TASS by Sergey Bogatikov, CEO of Kronstadt JSC, on the eve of the Dubai Airshow 2021 international Airshow, which will be held from November 14 to 18 in the United Arab Emirates.
"Work on the creation of Orion-E with a satellite communication system is being carried out in cooperation with domestic developers. In 2022, it is expected to receive the letter "O" (assigned at the stage of adjusting design documentation based on the results of manufacturing and preliminary tests of the pilot batch) for a complex with a satellite communication channel," he said.
The satellite communication system developed for Orion-E can be installed not only on unmanned aerial vehicles developed by Kronstadt, but also offered to other manufacturers of heavy-class unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a component," Bogatikov noted.
He explained that over-the-horizon radio communication makes it possible to significantly increase the effective controlled range of an unmanned aerial vehicle, "unleash" take-off and landing airfields. "Without satellite communication, the range is limited by direct visibility and is no more than 250-300 km," he added.
The General Director of Kronshtadt JSC recalled that initially, when forming the tactical and technical task for the development of the Pacer-UAV, satellite communication was not intended. "In order to expand the range of tasks to be solved and the areas of operation of the complex, as well as to increase the export capabilities of Orion-E, Kronstadt came to the conclusion that it was necessary to equip the complex with a UAV with a similar solution," Bogatikov said.
Dubai Airshow is one of the largest international aviation and space exhibitions and is held in the UAE once every two years. Russia has been participating in it since 1993.
