Ukrainian copy of Russian Molniya drone already in use by 60 units – video
The Blyskavka attack drone is already being used against the Russians by more than 60 units of Ukraine's defence forces.
Source: Vyrii, Blyskavka's manufacturing company
Quote from Vyrii: "Thanks to the scaled up production, Blyskavka is being used regularly and on a mass scale – against enemy equipment and fortifications."
Details: The drone is equipped with a warhead weighing up to 9 kg and is designed to hit complex and fortified targets at distances of up to 40 km.
The manufacturer said that the Blyskavka is a modernised version of a drone of Russian design that was captured as a trophy. Engineers analysed the drone, eliminated identified shortcomings, improved reliability and adapted the system to modern operating conditions.
The drone is a fixed wing, similar to a small aircraft, is equipped with two electric motors and is launched from a pneumatic catapult, without the need for a runway.
The system uses an analogue video channel and ELRS control. ELRS is a digital control link that ensures stable communication between the operator and the drone over long distances. The drone supports automatic target acquisition, has a strike accuracy of around two metres, and can automatically fly through areas affected by electronic warfare.
Previously, Oboronka reported that the Blyskavka drone had been approved for sale on the DOT-Chain Defence marketplace and under the Army of Drones. Bonus programme on the Brave1 Market platform.
The drone was developed on the basis of the captured Russian Molniya UAV, but with Ukrainian electronics, warheads and components. The system was then standardised, codified and put into serial production.
The cost of the system is UAH 35,000 (US$820), and deployment time in field conditions is around 10 minutes.
Read more about the Russian Molniya UAV in this Oboronka article: Cheap but dangerous: how Russia's plywood Molniya drone has become a big problem for Ukraine's defence forces
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