Solutions to win: Ukrainian engineers unveil Cobra UAV with 300 km flight range
Photo: Facebook / Vitaliy Bryzhalov
The Ukrainian-made Cobra strike UAVs, manufactured in Kryvyi Rih, have started to be produced on a large scale in Ukraine. They have a flight range of up to 300 km.
BuildingTech reported that on Telegram.
What is the problem?
The Ukrainian-Russian war can be for sure called a technology war.
In March 2023, the Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, announced that the Ukrainian army is actively transforming and gaining unique experience in the most technological war in history.
The Ukrainian market for the production of drones is actively developing; more than 100 companies manufacture drones in the country.
However, the country has yet to reach a point of mass production, so volunteers, philanthropists, and partner countries all play an active role in obtaining UAVs. However, purchasing drones from other countries requires a significant amount of funds.
Ukraine must ramp up the production of domestic attack and reconnaissance UAVs, as they are significantly less expensive and eliminate the country's reliance on foreign manufacturers.
"This is a vital necessity [to increase the production of drones – ed.], this is what we need now as much as possible – hundreds, thousands in response to what the enemies are doing. You can see that they're precisely stockpiling this type of ammunition. It's not just about inventing it; it's also crucial to carry out this task [to stockpile drones – ed.]," emphasized Yuriy Ihnat, the spokesman of the Air Force of Ukraine's armed forces.
What is the solution?
Ukrainian-made strike UAVs of the Cobra aircraft type, which engineers developed from Kryvyi Rih, began to be mass-produced in Ukraine.
The developers created a technology that greatly simplified and made the production of drones cheaper.
How does it work?
This was achieved because the UAV has a metal body made of riveted steel.
The article says that the Cobra body is created using the same technology as the body of an airplane. This made it possible to increase the UAV's speed and reduce its manufacturing cost.
Photo: Facebook / Vitaliy Bryzhalov
"Even though lighter materials such as wood, foam or composites are usually used for the production of drones, engineers were able to achieve a significant advantage by using riveted steel," the experts write.
The head of the project, Vitaliy Bryzhalov, stated that the engineers spent approximately six months designing the drone model. Throughout this time, they tested various individual elements, abandoned the project multiple times, and then decided to resume it.
Photo: Facebook / Vitaliy Bryzhalov
As a result, they were able to develop a functional technology that enabled the creation of a metal drone in just 3 hours. The drone's design can be easily modified in a few days, giving it new dimensions, forms, or configurations.
"A drone that can be assembled in 3 hours. Without glue, resin, hardening for hours, and hours of bringing surfaces to working condition. Without dust, glass, fiberglass, and carbon. Cut, bent, riveted. Cut, stamped – ready. That is 3 hours for assembly: from unwinding the roll to the finished airplane," the inventor says.
As noted, the cost of producing such a drone is also reduced because its electronics, engine, and propeller are made in Ukraine.
Photo: Facebook / Vitaliy Bryzhalov
It also reduces the risks associated with logistics. Engineers already use:
- domestic engines,
- injectors and servos.
They also plan to receive equipment for communication, navigation, and sensors soon.
The primary function of the Cobra UAV is to destroy enemy targets. It is equipped with a powerful engine and can carry about 15 kg of explosives for more than 300 km.
Photo: Facebook / Vitaliy Bryzhalov
The speed of the drone reaches 150 km/h. It can also work in autonomous mode – independently determine the route and destination.
Project manager and design engineer Vitaliy Bryzhalov previously said that the Cobra drone resembles the Iranian Shahed UAVs but is much cheaper and easier to manufacture. Its cost is about 2 thousand dollars.
"This classic technology has been used to build airplanes for decades. Steel surfaces that are riveted to these surfaces. With this technology, you can produce thousands of airplanes per month, and with classic drone technology, you can make 2,000 per month or more." – he explained.
He said that the Cobra drone is quite big, so it's easier to detect by radars. This was intentionally designed into the drone. The purpose of this is to draw out anti-aircraft missiles from the enemy, the reserves of which are limited.
For reference:
Earlier, the head of Ukraine's Security Service announced that a unique marine surface drone, "Sea Baby," was produced in Ukraine. The production of these drones is located in Ukraine, but the factories are located underground.
The State Special Forces recently reported that they had ordered hundreds of domestically produced drones from Ukroboronprom. They will be ready by the end of the year.
In addition, according to the Minister of Strategic Industries, Oleksandr Kamyshin, Ukraine has established serial production of the domestic analog of Shakhed UAVs. Dozens of such drones can be produced in a month.
