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Russia's Drone Patent: 1 Becomes 6 Spy Cops
3 Aug
Summary
- Russia patented a carrier drone deploying six tethered reconnaissance copters.
- Each copter receives power and commands via a cable from the carrier.
- This design allows one operator to cover multiple observation points.
Russia has developed a new drone technology, patented by engineers at the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School, that transforms a single aircraft into a hub for six smaller surveillance drones. These tethered copters, each equipped with its own flight controller, sensors, and camera, fan out from the carrier.
Crucially, each reconnaissance unit is powered and controlled through a physical cable connected to the carrier drone. This eliminates the need for onboard batteries in the smaller drones and makes their operational range dependent on cable length rather than battery life. The carrier drone acts as a communication relay, receiving instructions from a ground operator.
The system is designed for recovery, with reel drives on both the carrier and remote copters spooling in the cables after a mission. This retrieval capability suggests repeated use rather than expendable deployment. The technology addresses modern battlefield challenges like radio jamming by using wired connections, though it sacrifices some mobility compared to autonomous drones.
