In March, the Chaika attack drone, designed with a tail-sitter configuration that blends helicopter-like lift with airplane-style flight, is expected to arrive in the special military operation zone. This update comes as production of the first pilot batch progresses and preparations for a broader installation series advance. The drone will be deployed for testing in the war zone in March, marking a critical step in evaluating its practical performance under real conditions.
The design bureau emphasized that Chaika’s aerodynamics offer notable benefits. The tail-sitter approach enables vertical takeoff and landing and quickly transitions to horizontal flight, allowing efficient movement without the need for a runway, catapult, or traditional launch methods. This capability can simplify operations in challenging environments and reduce infrastructure dependencies during deployment.
<pIn its operational profile, Chaika is capable of reaching speeds around 100 km/h and has a range of up to 30 kilometers. It can carry a payload in the range of 4–5 kilograms, which supports lightweight mission gear and sensors suitable for reconnaissance, target marking, or precision delivery tasks in the field.
<pEarlier reports noted that the Partisan heavy transport unmanned aerial vehicle completed the initial phase of flight testing, signaling ongoing progress in the portfolio of unmanned systems. This context helps illustrate a broader push to expand capabilities across different drone classes, from agile reconnaissance platforms to larger transport and logistics models.
<pIn recent activity from the region, assessments of various drone options show continued interest in compact, versatile solutions that can operate with minimal ground support. The Chaika program represents one path in this landscape, combining compact size with flexible flight characteristics to address demanding operational scenarios and the need for rapid, on-demand deployment in contested zones.