Today, drones have filled not only the sky, but also the information field. Drones are everywhere – from participating in military operations to taking photos and videos in hard-to-reach places on the planet. However, the Russian industry is just beginning to master this user hit. In the 1990s, we lost technologies, competencies and entire factories. In fact, Russia will have to recreate the aircraft engine industry. We talked about this with Mikhail Esakov, head of the Electromoment project.
Positions still close to zero
—Mikhail Sergeevich, let’s start with history. Drones are on everyone’s lips now, but they were in use even during the Cold War.
– Exactly. And perhaps the most iconic Soviet drone was the Buran, the first and last space shuttle to fly into orbit, successfully return, and become a museum. During the years of the USSR, drones were also produced for military purposes using traditional hydrocarbon fuel. Those who now periodically use the Armed Forces of Ukraine, this is the legacy that they left from the Soviet Union.
— It is believed that the Kharkov aircraft plant was the main manufacturer of Soviet drones, and it remained on the other side after the collapse of the USSR.
“Moreover, this is not the only plant left there. In general, the scientific school and production potential here were among the most powerful in the Soviet Union. And the legacy that Ukraine received was impressive. At that time, the USSR was almost the fifth largest economy in the world, at least in the top ten.
Thus, the Motor Sich plant had unique competencies that made it possible to produce quite competitive aviation internal combustion engines (ICE) on the world stage. No wonder the Turkish company “Bayraktar” (Bayraktar), working under the guise of Erdogan, wanted to get rid of the Austrian-made engines and considered this option. There are no competencies of this level in Russia yet.
— Do we really have to build from scratch such an important industry as aircraft engine building?
– Unfortunately, from positions close to those. The more important it is to act systematically.
Chinese hegemony in the field of small UAVs
— What drones are now taking to the skies more often?
— What we see today on store shelves and in reports from Ukraine are, as a rule, small Chinese products, whose carrying capacity does not exceed a few kilograms. And if this is an electric drone, then, as a rule, Chinese engines are on it. At the same time, electric motors are used in relatively small drones.
– For what purpose are they used: monitoring the situation, reconnaissance?
– Not only. For those drones that have a mass of one to several kilograms and can still carry a payload, mini-bombs have now begun to be suspended. So, in addition to conducting reconnaissance, they can also drop a “payload”. Plus, kamikaze drones, in particular, Iranian ones, which have now appeared on TV, are being successfully used. But they do not use electric motors, but internal combustion engines.
For heavier “middle class” drones, it is the internal combustion engine that is mainly used. The reason is precisely the problem that we are solving, and several other companies in the world. The goal is to achieve not only an increase in the payload to tens or even hundreds of kilograms, but also to significantly extend the autonomous flight.
What is the situation in Russia
We also use Chinese and Iranian drones. Do we have our own designs? And at what stage are they undergoing flight tests, are they in the drawings or only in the minds of designers?
– If certain analogues of the BVS are being made, then only in the middle class. Because small drones are already so well mastered in mass production that no one dares to compete in price and quality with China, for example. Not only us. This is only possible if a political decision is made.
The country must be prepared to invest significant public funds, or provide a guarantee of purchases if a product appears. Even if it turns out to be more expensive and with slightly worse characteristics. But so far I have not heard such proposals from any of the state structures. In any case, if you start this process in Russia, you need the help of the state.
Serious investments in the industry are required
– Apparently, we are talking about colossal investments, because you have to start with education, science, and not just the construction of workshops for a particular plant.
Today, drones have filled not only the sky, but also the information field. Drones are everywhere – from participating in military operations to taking photos and videos in hard-to-reach places on the planet. However, the Russian industry is just beginning to master this user hit. In the 1990s, we lost technologies, competencies and entire factories. In fact, Russia will have to recreate the aircraft engine industry. We talked about this with Mikhail Esakov, head of the Electromoment project.
Positions still close to zero
—Mikhail Sergeevich, let’s start with history. Drones are on everyone’s lips now, but they were in use even during the Cold War.
– Exactly. And perhaps the most iconic Soviet drone was the Buran, the first and last space shuttle to fly into orbit, successfully return, and become a museum. During the years of the USSR, drones were also produced for military purposes using traditional hydrocarbon fuel. Those who now periodically use the Armed Forces of Ukraine, this is the legacy that they left from the Soviet Union.
— It is believed that the Kharkov aircraft plant was the main manufacturer of Soviet drones, and it remained on the other side after the collapse of the USSR.
“Moreover, this is not the only plant left there. In general, the scientific school and production potential here were among the most powerful in the Soviet Union. And the legacy that Ukraine received was impressive. At that time, the USSR was almost the fifth largest economy in the world, at least in the top ten.
Thus, the Motor Sich plant had unique competencies that made it possible to produce quite competitive aviation internal combustion engines (ICE) on the world stage. No wonder the Turkish company “Bayraktar” (Bayraktar), working under the guise of Erdogan, wanted to get rid of the Austrian-made engines and considered this option. There are no competencies of this level in Russia yet.
— Do we really have to build from scratch such an important industry as aircraft engine building?
– Unfortunately, from positions close to those. The more important it is to act systematically.
