Practical flights: instructors improve UAVs control skills

Lecturers of the Department of Unmanned Systems and Electronic Warfare of the National Academy of the National Guard of Ukraine improved their skills in practical control of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

The guards practiced the controls of the Unmanned Aircraft Complexes "Valk-1 Halka" and "Sirko." Both complexes are Ukrainian production.

"Sirko" is a tactical reconnaissance UAV of the fixed-wing aircraft type. It provides a tactical range of up to 30 km. It has a wingspan of 93 cm and is considered ultralight, as it weighs only 1.37 kg. The battery charge is enough to cover a distance of up to 130-140 km at an altitude of up to 1 km. This UAV can stay in the air for up to two hours.

"Valk-1 Halka" is an unmanned military aviation complex used for monitoring, aerial reconnaissance, video surveillance and artillery fire correction day and night. "Valk-1" has encrypted long-range digital telemetry communication, as well as analog online video streaming for all types of payloads as an additional option. Wingspan is 160 cm, flight time - 120 minutes, take-off weight - 3.5 kg, radio horizon - 35 km. 

"During training flights, our pilot-instructors improve their practical skills in controlling various means, which will allow them to conduct classes with higher education applicants more effectively. One of the priority areas of training at the Academy is training in controlling Unmanned Aerial Complexes. Today, these systems are not only a powerful tool for reconnaissance, but also an important means for saving the lives of military personnel and increasing the effectiveness of defeating the enemy. UAVs are one of the most promising areas of weapons development, and the Academy is actively implementing it in the educational process", – Head of the Department of Unmanned Systems and Electronic Warfare Lieutenant Colonel Andrii Petik said.

In addition, the guardsmen of the department trained in controlling FPV drones and the "Matrice" 30T drone, which is actively used by UAV units in combat conditions for reconnaissance and artillery fire correction. This drone is equipped with a combined 200x zoom, thermal imager and laser rangefinder, which makes it extremely effective in complex operations.

Department of International Relations, Information and Communication of the NANGU