Ukrainian developers have created a new “Bulava” drone with machine vision, which is an analogue of the Russian “Lancet”. This drone is capable of complex tasks thanks to high-tech machine vision systems and has a wide range of capabilities for military operations. It is a modern response to Russian developments, demonstrating a high level of innovation and technical achievements of Ukrainian engineers.
The Ukrainian Bulava drone is equipped with leading technologies, including machine vision, which ensure accurate and effective damage to the enemy. Defense Express experts analyzed the characteristics of this drone and predicted its capabilities at the international defense exhibition Eurosatory 2024. They noted that the drone is often called an analogue of the Russian “Lancet” due to similar tasks and an aerodynamic solution with an X-shaped tail.
“Bulava” has a take-off weight of 11 kg, of which 3.6 kg is for the warhead, which combines cumulative, penetrating and thermobaric actions. At a cruising speed of 100 km/h, it can stay in the air for more than 50 minutes. The drone is equipped with an electric motor, the wingspan is 1.6 meters, and the total length is 1.5 meters.
This drone can be used both day and night thanks to machine vision with automatic target detection and tracking. It has high resistance to EW, fixes spoofing, uses an encrypted data transmission channel and MESH technology, which provides a strike range of more than 60 km. Mace can also be integrated with reconnaissance drones.
A catapult is used to launch the drone, and the impression of targets is possible both by coordinates and by the target selected by the operator. The integration of a night camera and machine vision algorithms makes the Mace an effective tool on the battlefield.
Thus, “Bulava” is a developed and effective solution that has not only high characteristics, but also important technologies in its assets, analysts conclude.