Drones

Kalashnikov's kamikaze drone is built to explode on impact

Kalashnikov's KUB-UAV drone is designed to explode on impact
Kalashnikov
Kalashnikov's KUB-UAV drone is designed to explode on impact
Kalashnikov

Kalashnikov is undoubtedly best known for its AK-47, but these days the Russian manufacturing giant has its fingers in all sorts of pies. Joining a hoverbike, an electric all-terrain motorbike and a retro-inspired electric car in its portfolio of future-focused projects is a sacrificial military drone designed crash into the ground, taking targets down remotely with it on impact.

The fixed-wing drone was developed together with fellow Russian aerial vehicle outfit Zala Aero Group and has been dubbed KUB-UAV. Describing it as a "high-precision attack unmanned aerial system," Kalashnikov says the aircraft is designed to remotely destroy ground targets by delivering a presumably explosive 3-kg (6.6 lb) payload to a set of coordinates or an imaged target.

Kalashnikov also says the kamikaze-style drone will be highly accurate, capable of hidden launches and operate in silence. It is designed to fly for up to 30 minutes at speeds of 80 to 130 km/h (50 to 80 mph). It measures 121 x 95 x 16.5 cm (47 x 37 x 6.5 in) and has apparently been successfully tested and is ready for use.

"The charge on this complex is delivered to the target, regardless of its secrecy and terrain, at both small and at high altitudes," says Sergey Chemezov, CEO of corporation Rostec, which holds a majority stake in Kalashnikov. "This is a very accurate and most effective weapon that is very difficult to fight with using traditional air defense systems. "

While Kalashnikov hasn't offered images of the drone or details of its cost or availability, it has put together an unnerving video of it in action with Zala Aero, which can be viewed below.

Source: Kalashnikov

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10 comments
SimonClarke
This is an excellent idea. why call a tank in to punch a hole in a wall when one of these will do. it would probably work out to be cheaper and will defiantly be faster.
Deres
Seems to be very similar in smaller size than the israeli Harpy drone (with also a delta wing but of 2m) and in bigger size than the Switchblade UAV.
I am suprised they did not try to use a more compact wing like on the smaller Switchblade drone as the big delta wing of the Harpy leads to very big containres.
Daniel Gregory
Imagine how awesome it will be when our own gov't decides to use these, along with surveillance algorithms that can distinguish a person's location through their voice and/or phone...the woosh! No more descent on anything. No more protestors, no more going against the will of the corporations, just silence them with the push of a button and blame "terrorists".
jd_dunerider
Cool, and terrifying. I imagine a drone builder with malintent could make something similar, and make anonymous attacks pretty easily.
paul314
So this is essentially a propeller-driven cruise missile? Or a stealth V-1 with modern guidance.
Darus Zehrbach
I worked on the engines of the IAI (Israeli Aircraft Industries) Harpy in the 90s. Same concept, design. A prop driven cruise missile with a camera on board that took photos and compared them. If you told it to patrol a road and look for a tank it would fly up and down that highway all day looking at photos and askings "is that a tank", before plunging straight down.
BrianK56
Looks easier to shoot down than a missle
flyerfly
Well the genie has been let out of the bottle with drones...but they are not going to do any more evil than all the weapons in history have...clubs, knives, bows, swords, guns, bombs, etc etc...wickedness is caused by people not by the device. There will of course be a plethora of laws banning this or that...that is historical as well. The common man was not allowed to have swords and bows in many areas in the past. History repeats and people continue to kill each other. It is just sad that it is harder to figure out who to fight back against now!
Douglas Bennett Rogers
This definitely has a niche. IR stealth. Fast missiles are easy to see in IR. Good for slow/soft targets--houses, cars, personnel. Much cheaper and easier supply line than missiles. Can come in low on urban targets.
christopher
Missed the target - there were 2 or 3 things it should have been aiming for (barrel, black disc,...) , and it hit an empty patch of ground instead, leaving all the things intact.
Here's some closeups: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vrkgMWcZW4