Russia is Creating a Strange Drone…

The so-called ‘ vezdelyot’, or fly-anywhere vehicle, has been created by Russian designers, who jokingly call their brain-child a ‘pepelats’, in a nod to a bizarre flying bucket from popular comedy film Kin-dza-dza, directed by Georgy Danelia in the late 1980s. The Voice of Russia’s Nadezhda Podolskaya has more.

Officially named The Air-250 drone, the bucket –shaped ‘vezdelyot’ has already raised many eyebrows in terms of its advanced characteristics. The 4-kg vehicle, which has no wings and fuselage as such, is able to lift off even from the palm of the hand or a car’s trunk compartment.

The drone was specifically designed to help rescuers grapple with emergency situations in remote areas, explains Alexei Aravin, chief executive of the Air Group company:The drone’s computerized control system helps it to duly track down wildfires’ hot spots or other emergency situations on the ground, Aravin says, adding that relevant information is then swiftly sent to a mission control center.

Right now, the drone is in the process of test flying, Aravin goes on to say, piling praise on the ‘vezdelyot’’s sophisticated characteristics. The drone has a maximum speed of 150 kilometers per hour, and its service ceiling stands at 4,000 kilometers, Aravin says.

The propeller-free drone, the Air-350 is also capable of working in restricted areas, Aravin concludes.

The next couple of years may well see the drone being supplied to the Russian Armed Forces and Russian rescuers, who particularly praised the drone’s design which makes it possible to install sophisticated equipment on board. Experts say that the drone’s open air test flights are scheduled for this fall. Voice of Russia

This is just so cool I had to post it through their repost button…

Windows to Russia!