In addition to Switchblades kamikaze drones and RQ-20 Puma reconnaissance drones, AeroVironment decided to present to Ukraine more than 100 new Quantix Recon reconnaissance UAVs . Taking into account the RQ-11 Raven UAV, which the Armed Forces received in 2016, this is the fourth unmanned system from AeroVironment in the Armed Forces.

“As the Ukraine military’s fight against Russia’s invasion intensifies, their need for solutions that can offer force protection continues. We hope this donation will provide operators with a powerful tool that can fly undetected by enemy forces to deliver accurate and rapid reconnaissance of the dynamically changing battlefield and its remote, inaccessible areas,” said Wahid Nawabi, President and CEO of AeroVironment.

AeroVironment Quantix Recon reconnaissance drone, a nice addition to the RQ-20 Puma and Switchblades UAVs

AeroVironment Quantix Recon is a simple semi-automatic solution for fast reconnaissance with almost no operator involvement. This drone, a hybrid of an airplane and a quadcopter, takes off vertically and then goes into horizontal flight. The drone can automatically survey the selected route or area. Thanks to the use of two 18-megapixel cameras, high-resolution color and multispectral, Quantix Recon can find even disguised equipment and manpower of the enemy. Roughly speaking, a multispectral camera will distinguish a green tank in green bushes.

AeroVironment Quantix Recon reconnaissance drone, a nice addition to the RQ-20 Puma and Switchblades UAVs

Drone control and rapid analysis of images, including multispectral, is performed using a tablet. The drone can operate in radio silence mode, in which it is insensitive to the effects of hostile EW systems.

This is a very easy to use and modern “bird” that will be useful to the Armed Forces, especially now, with the appearance of greenery and leaves on trees.

AeroVironment Quantix Recon reconnaissance drone, a nice addition to the RQ-20 Puma and Switchblades UAVs

Specifications
Maximum flight time – 45 minutes
Communication range – 2 km or up to 40 km in automatic mode
Operating distance – 20 km (with return to the starting point); 40 km one way
Coverage area – 3.24 km2 (from a height of 250 m)
Drive – 4 electric motors
Mass – 2.3 kg
Maximum flight altitude – 2286 m
Maximum speed – unknown
Cameras – 2 × 18 MP, color and multispectral
Data storage – built-in SD card