Ukrainians have developed giant UAVs for rockets: why he's not on the front yet
In 2017, in Kramatorsk, an enthusiastic group decided to create a manned vertical takeoff and landing with internal combustion (ICE) and electronic control. According to the idea, any person could drive such a "flying car" after one or two hours of training in a computer simulator-a number of devices and software methods of security were provided for this purpose. The design of the apparatus allowed it to be stored in a regular garage and did not require an airfield.
Engineers have design and built the first research model Flyingbike2018, which was intended for ground tests and proof. Due to the fact that such apparatus was not only in Ukraine but also in the world, it was necessary to start everything from scratch, to test many variants of transmission, several designs of variable step screws, electronic screw control systems, electronic engine control systems and more.
"In 2018, we presented our project at the International Aviation Exhibition" Aviasvit XXI ", where he attracted the attention of visitors and gathered many praise. We have not received any interests and support structures, " - shared Igor Nastshchuk, since the Ukrainians made a aircraft for their money, they could not use hydrocarbon or aluminum - if necessary, all such details should be released. Therefore, the housing was made of steel, because it is easy to cut and weld.
To check the design of units and design solutions, it was enough to pass the period of ground tests, and then the finished structure, which works, is made from aluminum alloys. In the summer of 2021 it was almost complete. But in the fall of 2021, during the war of Azerbaijan with Armenia, UAV was used in combat conditions, and they were very effective, although even then the disadvantages of large UAVs of the aircraft scheme were obvious.
According to Igor Nastshchuk, such devices are suitable for pre -conflict time - for intelligence and patrolling, or for use in low -intensity conflicts, in the absence of developed air defense systems and HRS. Since the pilot car was 90% similar to UAVs, the team decided to turn it into a heavy -class drone. This is how the bumblebee appeared as a logical continuation of the Flyingbike2018 project.
"Bumblebee-90" is based on the experience of creating a Flyingbike2018 apparatus and taking into account the results of its tests. The developers reduced the size, simplified the transmission and construction in general in order to make it as most technological and suitable for mass production. Adapted the design to use as many finished parts and components that are manufactured and can be purchased, that is, all parts are cheaper.
There was a huge quadcopter with a skeletal metal frame, a Rotax-582 engine and a rack-pillows like screws. To ensure a reasonable compromise between controllability, reliability and efficiency, the developers have chosen a flight management scheme with variable step (GOK) air screws that have already been tested in practice. They explained that this is necessary to eliminate the main problem - screw inertia.
"Since our project is changing the draft of the air screw not by changing the rotation of the air screw, but by changing the step of the blade at constant speed! Change the angle of installation of a blade by 3-5 degrees is much easier and faster than trying to defeat the inertia of the air screw.
Schemes of inertia of air screws and transmission - only in the plus, helps to maintain constant revolutions when changing the load of the air screw in the control process, " - reads the project website. Designers plan to put a control system like the use of FPV drones - it is easier and faster. At first they wanted to make a completely autonomous option, but refused, because the development took a lot of time.
The bumblebee design involves the use of combat purposes, although engineers have not yet thought through the installation of a specific weapon system. According to Igor Nastashuk, you can hang anything to the bottom of the drone, so that it does not exceed the weight. Another problem is weapons and protected channels to control it. "We have design, made and tested three or four different transmissions during the creation of our device. Three different screws.
A few types Security, two different devices, "he said. According to Igor Nastashuk, the teams are now ready to draw a new version of the device and its layout, calculated aerodynamic and mass-and-steady characteristics. However, until the details were made - that is, working drawings for the production of specific parts, because they will "fit" under the available motors, blades and other components.
"First, we are most likely the only team in Ukraine (and until recently-and in the world) who deals with such a project (in 2018 the Boeing company invited us to participate in the Boeing Go Fly competition). Not so long ago you wrote About the apparatus that constructively repeats our prototype in 2017. But we went on in development ideas. Secondly-we are well aware that one of the main characteristics of the structure of the apparatus should be "scalability" in production plan.
That is, after the joint tests from the MO But the Armed Forces, upon receipt of a positive conclusion, literally tomorrow should begin mass production, " - emphasized the developer. He explained that it is necessary to exclude any exotic materials, the use of which requires sophisticated equipment, highly qualified specialists or super-circus technologies. The device must have a structure that maximally uses the easily accessible ready -made units and parts that are massively released.
Everything that cannot be purchased in finished form should be made of available structural materials on universal high -performance equipment. Ideally, with the opportunity to order the production of parts in workshops and enterprises throughout Ukraine, this would dramatically increase the stability of production to enemy attacks and prevented the destruction of production with one blow. "Understanding this, we used the appropriate solutions in the design of the apparatus.
This will allow you to make a prototype (a test apparatus) in the amount of about $ 150,000 and about 6 months in a period," Igor summed up. With regard to the protection against Russian electronic wrestling, the creators of "Dzmel-90" are going to establish cooperation with experts who already have practical experience in this field and use their control system.
On the other hand, the scenario of using this UAV is practically no flight at high altitude, regardless of the version (transport or shock). Flight at low altitude will automatically make it invisible to observers from the Earth. "Even the percussion is the front edge apparatus. That is, the attack goes from the side of its positions.
During a short" jump "because From the operator of small reconnaissance UAV about the availability and coordinates of the goal, " - expressed his thoughts about the interlocutor of the focus. - "That is, a situation where it is noticeable for a hostile observer and is accessible to the impression of the HR, it is possible to minimize. " Currently, the model of universal UAVs with a runway weighing 200 kg is ready for manufacturing. Rotax-582 engine power is 48 kW or 65 horsepower.
The drone tanks are placed up to 60 liters of fuel, with a flow rate of 27 liters per hour, this volume provides a flight duration of about 2 hours. The useful load when filling the full tank will be 50-60 kg. If you do not need to fly to the maximum range, then you can pour less fuel, thereby increasing the weight of the load. For example, when fuel storage per hour of flight, the payload will be up to 75 kg. This stock gives a large selection of weapons available.
And if there is only a camera on the UAV, then the course of the course increases to 3. 5-4 hours. As mentioned above, Bumblebee is offered to be used to strike the enemy. You can use different types of weapons, such as self -controlled missiles, which are given on a laser beam. You can also install the starting unified unit of the UB-16-57 weighing about 50 kg with a tens of fragmentary missiles C-5m with a distance of starting up to 2. 5 km.
In this case, the military after finding the target of the aerovtech intelligence can start the drone, shoot, and then immediately take it to the shelter. "MQ-1 Predator, MQ-9 Reaper type drones showed themselves well in Afghanistan when flights outside air defense zones. But in the case of any counteraction-easily vulnerable (incident over the Black Sea, for example).
Therefore, we came to think that much more useful There would be a UAV of vertical takeoff and landing with a load of about 70-100 kg. When used in connection with small reconnaissance UAVs could be caused by the enemy of great harm. Seconds, through planting, through structure, from the ravine, captured the target illuminated by little UAV, made a start and went beyond the obstacle) - almost unrealistic, "the developer added.
Igor Nastashchuk proposes to use "bumblebees-90" as a vehicle on the front. In his opinion, in this case, the tasks for him will be found at least, for example, to deliver ammunition or weapons to the front or Ukrainian DRG during planting to the other bank of the Dnieper or even in Crimea. "The use of such a device as transportation would allow to radically change the delivery situation where the car is dangerous because of the high probability of crew death.
Mariupol's experience showed it to the fullest (as you know, a few crews of Mi-8 were killed). And a few UAVs flying below. The level of buildings would cope with this task without risk to pilots. And the loss of UAV is incomparable with the loss of an experienced helicopter crew. And the cost of the helicopter is higher, "the developer suggested. After the war, the bumblebees can also be useful for cargo transportation, as well as for processing fields in agriculture.
After five years of independent work, lovers simply have no money to produce a working sample of a device for flight tests. Igor Nastashchuk says that he appealed to the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Strategropy, to the Committees of the Verkhovna Rada, but they were only offered to be fired at their own expense, and then show the finished product. "We need funds to make a flying sample and pass it on to test in Ukraine.
Hope for continuation of the project only for good luck that some of the investors will hear. The calls" make "for themselves" to hear quite strange. This is not a small UAV Need a thousand or two dollars, a soldering iron and a table. And what is constantly inventing? 99% of the purchased. The controller, receiver, wires, motors, propeller, batteries-all purchased. The frames are inventing? And making heavy UAVs-completely different technologies. Sorry, another cost of development.