The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation spoke about the use of unmanned aerial vehicles of the Eleron series during a special operation in Ukraine.

“UAVs identify strongholds and firing positions of the enemy, transmit data to fire weapons for their guaranteed destruction,” the Red Star newspaper of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation notes.

"Ailerons" are involved, in particular, during assault operations to liberate settlements.

Target designations from the UAV are transmitted to the flamethrower units of the Marine Corps, which then use the Bumblebee portable flamethrower systems (RPO) to destroy the identified targets.

According to one of the fighters of the airborne assault unit of the Marine Corps of the Pacific Fleet, the principle of operation of the RPO is that gas is sprayed from the rocket, which is then set on fire, creating a volumetric explosion.

“All this happens in a split second.

The process cannot be seen, ”a flamethrower with the call sign Storm told reporters.

"Almost complete acoustic invisibility"

Eleron short-range reconnaissance UAVs were developed by the Kazan enterprise ENIKS.

From the materials of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation it follows that the Russian troops used different versions of the Eleron-3 and Eleron-10 models.

According to the Ministry of Defense, Eleron-3 is designed to conduct aerial photographic reconnaissance of enemy targets in the interests of ground forces, airborne forces, coastal troops of the Navy, issue data for target designation of strike weapons and relay a radio signal.

The Eleron payload includes interchangeable modules with a thermal imaging camera, a color video camera on a gyro-stabilized turntable, a camera and relay equipment.

  • Eleron-3

  • RIA News

  • © Vitaly Belousov

The website of the 38th Research and Testing Institute of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation notes that the UAV functionality includes aerial photography of territories, visual search by the operator of reconnaissance objects online, identification and recognition of reconnaissance objects, as well as “determining their error-free location with transmission to the ground control panel object coordinates using GLONASS or GLONASS/GPS”.

"Eleron-3" is made according to the "flying wing" scheme and is launched using a rubber-harness or pneumatic catapult, and landing is made by parachute from a height of about 30 m to any poorly prepared small platform.

Electric motors with a pusher propeller are used as power units on Elerons.

The materials of the weekly Zvezda say that the Elerons are valued by the troops for their "almost complete acoustic invisibility."

The maximum takeoff weight of the Eleron-3 is 5.5 kg (with a payload of 1 kg), the flight duration is at least 100 minutes, and the maximum altitude is 4 km.

According to the developer, the range of air speeds of the device is in the range of 70-130 km/h.

The combat crew of the complex consists of two people, and the preparation of the Eleron for takeoff takes no more than 10 minutes.

UAV coordination is carried out using closed digital communication and control channels.

The maximum range of data transmission over a video channel is at least 25 km.

According to the military department, "Eleron-3" can fly both autonomously and in radio command mode, can operate in the flight mode or multiple passage over a given point.

Return to the starting point at the UAV is automatic.

Optionally, drop containers and other payloads can be placed on the Elerons.

"Eleron-10" in comparison with the third model has increased weight and size characteristics.

Its maximum takeoff weight reaches 15.5 kg (with a payload of 2 kg).

Like Eleron-3, it is made according to the “flying wing” scheme and uses electric motors.

The maximum range of data transmission over a digital video channel reaches 50 km.

It is worth noting that other reconnaissance UAVs are also used in the Russian troops.

In particular, units of the RF Armed Forces are equipped with Orlan-10 drones.

Compared to Elerons, they have a longer range (up to 600 km) and increased payload (maximum takeoff weight - 18 kg).

The duration of its flight is from 10 to 18 hours.

An even heavier class of UAVs is represented by the Orion (Pacer) drone, which is available in both reconnaissance and strike versions.

Its maximum takeoff weight reaches 1 ton. The device is capable of operating in the air for 24 hours.

  • UAV series "Eleron"

  • RIA News

  • © Konstantin Morozov

"UAVs are the future"

According to military expert Yuri Knutov, one of the advantages of Elerons is their stealth.

“The advantages of this UAV are the electric motor and composite materials.

These two factors greatly complicate its search by means of radar: the UAV is not visible in the infrared spectrum, and its radar visibility is reduced.

In addition, it has low speed.

This contributes to the fact that outdated radars, of which there are quite a lot in Ukraine, take the drone as a hindrance and ignore it.

Eleron also has the ability to return along a pre-planned route.

Thanks to this, if control over the drone is lost - for example, as a result of the action of the enemy's electronic warfare - the device can return to the launch site on its own, ”said the interlocutor of RT.

However, Sergey Denisentsev, an expert at the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, noted that Eleron was a fairly modern development when it first appeared.

But today, according to the expert, this device is outdated in a number of ways - multicopter-type drones are becoming more popular in the class of short-range UAVs.

“In the niche of short-range drones, systems not of an aircraft type, like Eleron, but of a multicopter type, are now more popular, capable of hovering and observing a certain area for a long time, adjusting artillery fire.

In fact, they have become one of the main intelligence tools, ”the analyst emphasized.

In turn, Vyacheslav Pshikhopov, director of the Research Institute of Robotics and Control Processes of the Southern Federal University, believes that one of the problems that domestic UAV developers need to solve today is the widespread use of foreign components in their products.

At the same time, the analyst pointed out the importance of developing the unmanned aircraft industry.

“The role of drones in modern military countermeasures is invaluable.

Their main function is reconnaissance.

There are also drummers, and kamikaze, and repeaters.

UAVs are the future.

Drones help reduce the combat cycle time from detection to target engagement.

Efficiency in decision-making is the most important thing.

So unmanned aircraft will develop.

At the same time, it is very important for us to develop the domestic technological base,” the expert concluded.