Belarus to Build Vertical Takeoff Drones

RIA Novosti

18:20 04/04/2012 MINSK, April 4 (RIA Novosti) - The Belarusian State Military-Industrial Committee is planning to develop a range of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability, the committee’s chairman Sergei Gurulev said.

“We are considering a wide range of UAVs with VTOL capability – from mini-sized to medium and heavy class UAVs,” Gurulev said in an interview with “VPK.Belarus” publication.

Several Belarusian defense firms have done R&D work and made progress in this area, he said.

Belarus has already developed a number of mini-UAVs and the medium-class Grif-1 tactical drone.

Grif-1 has an operational range of 100 km (over 60 miles) and can carry a payload of up to 30 kilograms.