"It is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, which is able to sit on [a plane's] tail. Its development has already started in Russia," the source said.
Russia's leading expert in the field of unmanned systems, Denis Fedutinov, commented on the information and noted that this is the first instance of Russia developing such unmanned vehicles.
"Meanwhile, this type of aerial vehicle can be used to fulfill a number of urgent tasks, both of military and civilian nature, including reconnaissance and surveillance, in particular, during the operations from ship's deck, as well as the delivery of small cargoes to remote areas," Fedutinov said.
The take-off mass of the device will be up to 500 kilograms (1100 pounds), including the weight of payload equipment amounting to 60 kilograms (132 pounds). The Cruising speed will stand at about 350 kilometers (217 miles) per hour. The estimated duration of the flight will be at 6 hours, which would cover the distance of over 2,000 kilometers.
