The domestic ultra-short takeoff and landing vehicle will be able to transport cargo weighing up to 1000 kg over distances of up to 1000 km
According to the press service of the Siberian Scientific Research Institute of Aviation named after S.A. Chaplygin, the heavy transport drone of ultra-short takeoff and landing «Partizan» made its first flight. Previously, it was planned to complete all tests of «Partizan» until the end of last year, it was also reported that 10 such devices would be released in 2024. In the meantime, the first flight tests of the transport UAV demonstrator «Partizan» at the airfield in Novosibirsk.
First flight of «Partizan» to ensure safety, it was carried out in manned mode, it lasted 20 minutes and took place at an altitude of 200 m at a speed of 50 to 200 km/h. The first flight provided the opportunity to collect flight data for subsequent training of the automatic control system and confirmed a significant increase in takeoff and landing performance compared to existing aircraft of this class, noted SibNIA.
Placement of an active airflow system along the entire span of the lower wing will allow «Partizan» significantly reduce the takeoff and landing distance and ensure stable control at ultra-low speeds of up to 50 km/h. In the near future, planned work will be carried out to confirm key flight performance characteristics and the tests will be transferred to unmanned mode. The UAV developers believe that upon completion of the tests, the demonstrator must confirm the ability to transport cargo weighing up to 1000 kg over distances of up to 1000 km, taking off and landing on unprepared sites of 50×50 meters in both manned and unmanned mode.
According to the creators, «Partisan» will be able to become a worthy alternative to helicopter-type aircraft and will be in demand in various fields of application – from carrying out cargo and passenger transportation, participating in rescue operations, extinguishing fires, to carrying out aerial chemical work, work in the interests of air ambulances, and aerial monitoring. Now it is planned to create a research and production center for unmanned aerial systems on the basis of the Berdsk-Tsentralny airfield. in the Novosibirsk region.