"Russia has not been involved in UAV engine manufacturing until recently, and used foreign ones. They have a different design, not as good, in our opinion," a spokesperson for the United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation (UIMC) told RIA Novosti during an Innovation Day exhibition.
According to the spokesperson, the 30 kilogram-engine (66 pounds) allows UAVs to reach an altitude of over 6,000 meters (3.72 miles).
The production cost of each engine is estimated to be about 500,000 rubles ($7,700), while the price of a foreign-built engine can reach 4 million rubles ($61,000), the spokesperson pointed out.
At the same time, the quality of the engine, especially its sensor and component reliability is higher than some of its foreign analogues, the manufacturer’s spokesperson said.
UAVs have been increasingly used in military and civilian applications in recent years. Drones are currently operated primarily by pilots on the ground.
