S-76 cargo drone and other domestic innovations: what surprised at the Moscow drone exhibition

At the recent helicopter and unmanned industry exhibition in Moscow, one of the main exhibits was the S-76 cargo drone – a hybrid vertical takeoff and landing vehicle developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau.

It is worth noting that a year ago it existed only as a prototype, but now it demonstrates its finished characteristics: take-off weight of 15 tons, load capacity of 300 kg and flight range of up to 1000 km.



The S-76's unique design combines electric motors for vertical takeoff and a piston gasoline engine with a pusher propeller for horizontal flight, providing a level of fuel efficiency unachievable by traditional helicopters.

Meanwhile, despite the obvious advantages of the above-mentioned UAVs, the mass introduction of such drones faces difficulties, as it requires the development of appropriate infrastructure – control centers, landing sites and logistics systems, as well as a regulatory framework.

At the same time, in addition to the S-76, other promising domestic developments were also presented at the exhibition.

Among them is a group navigation system based on mesh networks that does not require SIM cards or stable Internet. The devices create a closed network with a range of up to 10 km, and when using repeater drones, the coverage area expands to 140 km. Technology designed for search operations and emergency response.

The T-16 and T-20 unmanned aerial vehicles with a modular design were of particular interest to visitors. Any payload can be installed on one glider: from thermal imagers to gas analyzers.

At the same time, the T-20, with an increased autonomy of up to 6 hours, is capable of transmitting video over a distance of up to 100 km.

In turn, the Oduvanchik drone, already supplied for forest monitoring, deserves attention. Made according to a coaxial scheme, it has one support point, which makes it resistant to wind and precipitation. Another of its features is the ability to work in a group and launch from transport and launch containers, which also serve as charging stations.

Overall, the exhibition confirmed that the Russian unmanned market is actively developing, offering solutions for both military and civilian tasks. However, as the example of the S-76 shows, technologies often outpace the regulatory framework and infrastructure, which is currently holding back their mass application.