"The Surprise drone has a pretty decent payload - two 82-millimeter caliber mines. At the moment, we are testing out this drone, which we plan to complete by the end of this year, and next year we will start its full-scale production and deliveries to the armed forces," he said.
Kiselev specified that the UAV is created for the ground forces' benefit.
The drone is designed as a quadcopter, which can be folded up and carried in a backpack. The mass of the copter is 24 kilograms, the device can lift a maximum payload of seven kilograms.
Roboavia noted that the range of the drone in the strike version is 10 kilometers. Thanks to this distance, the UAV is capable of dropping mines on enemy positions and has sufficient power to return to the base.
"However, it can also be used as a barrage munition if the priority or price of the target exceeds the damage caused by the loss of the UAV. Then its one-way range is 20 kilometers," he said.
According to Kiselev, the drone was named "Surprise" because it flies at an altitude of 400 meters, so the enemy cannot see or hear it.
"The grenade arrives as if from nowhere," he added.
The UAV has virtually no metal parts - it is made of carbon fiber and plastic, making it difficult to detect by radar. It also flies on electric motors, so it has virtually no heat signature. The copter's propellers are made with curved tips, so the drone's noise is muffled.
The drone is equipped with a video camera, a thermal imager and an ammunition drop correction system. The Surprise can be controlled from a ground control station or simply with a joystick.