Multi-Grenade Launching Quadcopter Drone Presented at Heli-Russia 2024

A quadcopter drone that can launch 12 VOG-17 grenades or one 82mm mortar round was presented at the ongoing Heli-Russia show in Moscow.

The drone was developed by Russian company Stratim established in 2022, state media reported.

Called Golub (“Pigeon” in English) the drone can circle around its target and can drop the grenades one after another. For this reason, it is also known as "revolver."

Golub has reportedly undergone testing in conflict zones, including in the war against Ukraine.

Weighing approximately 7 kilograms, the Golub drone is capable of carrying cargo weighing up to 10 kilograms, with a capacity to transport 7-10 kg over short distances. It maintains a cruising speed of 40 km/h and has a range of up to 10 km.

Stratim has designed the drone with a special handle for easy transportation, and its power frame is 3D-printed.

Developers tout the drone's "machine vision" technology, enabling it to autonomously target areas for bombing. Through this technology, the drone can focus its camera on specific targets without operator intervention, hovering above designated areas to carry out precise strikes.

While the Golub quadcopter bomber is still in pre-production condition, with developers claiming the ability to produce dozens of such drones, it has not yet been adopted by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

In Ukraine, "machine vision" tech is used for Ukroboronprom's Liutyi strike drone, known for precise strikes on Russian targets. Since 2024, Ukraine deployed the indigenous drone, reportedly hitting Russian industrial sites up to 800km away, crippling refineries, depots, and factories along Ukraine's borders.