The Kyiv-based Come Back Alive foundation, which provides targeted and effective support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, announced the delivery of dozens of modern surveillance drones to Ukrainian Soldiers.
The independent non-governmental organization said that 25 surveillance drones, called the Leleka, will be handed over to the Ukrainian armed forces to help defend their country against the Russian army.
“…we have purchased 25 Leleka systems for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, each of which costs UAH 1,44 million ($48 thousand) and consists of two aircraft and a ground station. The Fund is already handing over the first complexes to the army, and by the end of summer, we expect all 50 aircraft and 25 ground stations. These Lelekas will cover the needs of 25 units for such drones,” says Andrii Rymaruk, head of the military department of the Foundation.
The total amount of the contract for the purchase of drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is UAH 35 million, or $1.2 million.
The Leleka-100, also known as Ciconia, is a small unmanned aircraft system designed and manufactured by Ukraine-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturer Production-Innovative Company Deviro.
As noted by the company, the main advantage of the system is advanced inertial navigation, which allows working in harsh conditions and in the absence of GPS. The system can be equipped with electro-optical and infrared payloads. It provides constant intelligence (both day and night), surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), even in most extreme conditions. The aircraft can be deployed from land and waterborne platforms for both civilian and military operations.
Leleka-100 has realized the conception of automatized control during all flight, which makes the job of operator much easier and allows focusing attention on the analysis of information that comes from the UAV.
The company also noted that its drone system has great wind resist parameters and can be used up to 20 m/s wind speed. Flight radius 55 km (total route distance 100km), endurance time 1,5 or 3,5 hours, on condition: air temperature -200С to +550С, wind speed to 12 m/s.