Zala Aero, a Russian UAV manufacturer, presented its state-of-the-art vertical takeoff and landing drone – the ZALA VTOL – at the MAKS 2021 International Aviation and Space Salon, the company told reporters during the air show.
“The ZALA VTOL combines the properties of an airplane type drone and a tilt-rotor aircraft. The flight configuration changes depending on the assigned mission. The electric propulsion system enables the aircraft to be in the air for up to 4 hours, providing a range of up to 200 km in aircraft configuration,” the company said.
The built-in on-board computer ZX1 based on artificial intelligence makes it possible to process Full HD format data and transmit HD videos and photos over encrypted communication links to a ground control station. “This enables the operator to receive monitoring data even before drone landing,” Zala Aero said.
The core function of ZALA VTOL is monitoring and aerial photography of any hard-to-reach place or area facilities. “It can be used to monitor industrial infrastructure, create photographic maps of an area and support the security of ground facilities. The UAV is already in service in Latin American states,” the company said.