In the world of high-priced weapons systems with long delivery times and scarce availability, Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine (-> current news from the Ukraine war) has once again caused a downward spiral. However, the new Russian Molniya drone (“МОЛНИЯ”/Blitz) is a minimalist even in the already very low-priced small drone segment.
The designer has not even given the winged drone a fuselage. Instead, two aluminum tubes and transverse elements made of laser-cut plywood form the basic structure. The frame and ribs of the foil-covered rectangular wing are also made of plywood and the same construction method is used for the tailplane. The UAV requires a total of three servos for control. One for each aileron on both sides of the wings and one for the one-piece rudder on the tailplane. The vertical stabilizer even manages without a control surface and carries a video transmitter.
To emphasize the simplicity of the design once again: The three control surfaces appear to have the same format and the same mounting and linkage points. The control electronics are located between the wings. The batteries are also attached there with adhesive tape. The warhead is also fixed with adhesive tape between the two aluminum tubes in front of the wings. In front of it, held by a plywood element, is the electric motor and propeller.
A forward-facing video camera is mounted on the underside between the wings, which provides a pilot with FPV goggles with the image for controlling the drone.
With a little imagination, you only need around 15 different components for the entire structure, including screws and wing nuts to fix the wings to the aluminum bars using a plywood plate. The total construction time will be somewhere in the region of two to four man-hours and the material costs for the ready-to-fly UAV, including electronics and batteries, should not even reach 400 euros. And that’s for a device that can transport a warhead weighing up to five kilograms up to 30 kilometers.
Attacks with Molniya drones on vehicles and equipment in position and in motion as well as stationary military objects such as command posts in the field or in buildings are documented.
The “Blitz” made its first appearance during the battle for the Krynky cauldron in the Kherson oblast on the left bank of the Dnieper in the spring of this year. Since then, there have been an increasing number of Russian videos of successful missions. But also Ukrainian videos of successful intercept flights with FPV quadcopters and effective jamming of Molniyas by Ukrainian electronic warfare.
The video above shows launch preparations and take-off as well as flight and target acquisition of the new Russian Molniya drone. In addition, impressions of combat, interception scenarios with FPV drones, the use of electronic warfare equipment against Molniya and the clearance of crashed drones by the Ukrainian demining service.
Here to our drone topic area with all the latest news on the subject and here for further news about the Russian armed forces.
