ZALA tested its continuous communication technology during a flight between Sakhalin and Kunashir
The ZALA T-20 unmanned aerial vehicle covered 420 km between Mendeleevo airfield on Kunashir and the «Pushisty» drone port on Sakhalin. The flight was conducted in full compliance with civil aviation regulations and was entirely under control. This historic event was made possible thanks to a partnership between ZALA and the unmanned wing of the Far Eastern airline «Aurora» – «Aurora - BAS».
The flight took place in unified airspace with manned aircraft and without the introduction of temporary restriction regimes. For the entire 5-hour journey, the T-20 was under the control of an «external pilot» on the ground. It was used ZALA «GEOCOSMOS» sovereign communications and navigation system», which does not rely on satellite navigation and has an IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) function.
Throughout the entire route, the BVS ZALA maintained a stable link with air traffic controllers thanks to the use of the «ERA-GLONASS» system. This ensured continuous monitoring of the flight’s progress.
«No one in our country has ever undertaken a flight of this distance and under these conditions before. This is a significant milestone in the field of unmanned aviation. And it took place in the Sakhalin Region with the support of the regional government and on the initiative of Governor Valery Igorevich Limarenko. Throughout the entire route, the aircraft remained in contact and was monitored by the relevant airline and air traffic control services. »This is the latest development from ZALA, which is being tested here on Sakhalin,« commented Konstantin Sukhorebrik, CEO of Aurora Airlines.
How reports The Sakhalin Oblast government, after testing a new technology, plans to widely implement it in the island region and across the Far East to address national economic needs. There are 75 scenarios for the use of unmanned systems currently operational in Sakhalin Oblast. They are used to monitor forest fires and blockages in riverbeds, search for missing persons, combat illegal dumps, protect salmon spawning grounds, and inspect the condition of roads, roofs, and pipelines.
From the press service materials The Governor and Government of the Sakhalin Oblast
