Russia’s Rosatom and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology successfully completed final tests of an ice reconnaissance complex based on an unmanned aerial vehicle. This complex will improve the safety of shipping as well as the economic efficiency of maritime cargo transportation in the Arctic

Until recently, there were no drones suitable for operating in the harsh Arctic conditions in Russia.

However, on February 1, Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom announced that it had successfully tested an ice reconnaissance complex based on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). This is the third stage of testing of the drone designed to obtain operational information on ice conditions necessary to ensure the safety of navigation along the Northern Sea Route (NSR).

The drone performed flights in the Gulf of Ob. The tests were conducted in the dark in difficult weather conditions: the average wind speed was 15-17 m/s (with gusts up to 19 m/s) and the air temperature was - 25 °C.

The drone made a flight at an altitude of 600 meters in cloudy conditions, lasting 115 minutes with a total path length of 174 km. For the first time, the system of fully automated landing on the icebreaker deck without operator participation was successfully tested as part of the trials. Also, during the flight radar images were formed, and video was recorded in the optical and infrared ranges.

All information with geolocation was transmitted in real-time to the operator's workplace on the icebreaker, Rosatom's Director of NSR Office said.

Source: Atom Media

To find out more about the drone’s role in the development of Arctic navigation, read the material in the Opinion section.

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