Russian Drone Maker Albatross Unveils New Reconnaisance UAV Prototype

The Albatros M5 system is employed to track vehicle movement, transmit real-time video, and identify enemy strongholds. It provides guidance, adjusts strikes, and records destruction. The drone boasts a broad range of capabilities, including gathering data on enemy air defenses, transmitting real-time data to ground posts, relaying communications, directing aircraft and artillery, conducting observation and monitoring, obtaining reconnaissance data, controlling fire, and providing target acquisition.  

The Albatros M5 is protected against enemy electronic warfare, featuring a jam-resistant communications channel and a satellite communications receiver capable of operating under jamming. It is a fixed-wing aircraft designed for aerial photography and video monitoring over large areas. With a flight time of up to 4 hours and a wingspan of 3.3 meters, this UAV boasts a lightweight composite body with carbon fiber details, weighing in at just 11.5 kg. Its features include a radio link operation radius of up to 60 km, a route length of 280 km, and a payload weight capacity of 1.5 kg. Key specifications include an electric, brushless engine, a speed range of 65-110 km/h, and an airframe lifespan of 300 takeoff/landing cycles. The UAV can withstand winds of up to 18 m/s and has a maximum takeoff weight of 12.5 kg. It operates at altitudes between 100-5000 m and features an elastic/pneumatic catapult launching method and parachute landing method, with flight preparations taking no more than 10 minutes. It can be transported in a car or carried by one person, and its design allows for repair in field conditions. The Albatros M5 operates at a maximum altitude of 5 km and has a range of 300 km, braving temperatures ranging from -30 to +50°C.  

Albatros drone’s usage in the ongoing Ukraine War

In June 2023, the Russian Defense Ministry uploaded a video showing paratroopers using Albatros drones in the special military operation in Ukraine. An Albatros drone helped a Russian squad detect Ukrainian military hardware and transmit target coordinates to an artillery command post.