Russia unveils doomsday drone for atomic battlefield scenarios
The Russians are developing equipment designed for use in an atomic battlefield. One such device is the Doomsday Drone. The evocative name of this Russian machine reflects its purpose – it is intended to measure radiation levels.
The TASS agency—the Kremlin's official propaganda organ—reported on the progress of this new equipment. The Russians have not disclosed any technical details about the new device, only a few operational specifics.
The Doomsday Drone is said to have a range of approximately 500 metres to 2 kilometres and be ready for operation within 30 seconds. It can be operated from mobile platforms and launched from armoured vehicles. The flight duration is specified to be 20 minutes.
The new equipment can be utilised in various scenarios, including reconnaissance of contamination along the route of a column of vehicles or analysing damage caused by an atomic explosion, including inside buildings.
Atomic Doomsday Drone
"I am confident that common sense will prevail and the world will refrain from using nuclear weapons and our doomsday drone will never be needed. And yet we believe that it would [be] a crime not to prepare for even the worst scenarios," stated Dmitry Kuzyakin, director of the Centre for Integrated Unmanned Systems.
Commenting on the development of the Doomsday Drone, Dmitry Kuzyakin emphasised that the equipment would feature the best attributes of FPV drones, such as speed and manoeuvrability, allowing it to navigate even in challenging environments like building interiors.
The new Russian drone will carry a set of sensors for measuring the concentration of harmful substances or a dosimeter to assess radioactive contamination along its flight path in lieu of a combat payload.
Dmitry Kuzyakin noted that various types of flying reconnaissance platforms—which also measure radiation—already exist. However, these are expensive and complex, whereas the Doomsday Drone is meant to be simple and affordable, allowing soldiers to use it directly on or near the battlefield.
