Vrabac (drone)

Vrabac
General information
TypeUnmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicle
ManufacturerUtva Aviation Industry
Designer
StatusIn service
Primary userSerbian Armed Forces
Number built>50
History
Manufactured2020–present
Introduction date2020
First flight2013

The Vrabac (Serbian: Врабац, lit. 'Sparrow') is a Serbian unmanned aerial vehicle intended for day/night reconnaissance and surveillance at shorter distances, as well as for target-spotting and designation, designed by the Military Technical Institute and manufactured by the Utva Aviation Industry.[1]

History

The Vrabac was first showcased at the Partner 2013 military exhibition and entered service with the Serbian Army in 2020.

Design

The Vrabac is hand-launched and lands with a parachute and an airbag. It is designed to survey and analyze major infrastructural facilities such as pipelines, major roads, bridges, forests, etc.

The Vrabac is a high-wing monoplane made of composite materials. Its fuselage is aerodynamically shaped around the equipment. The nose part contains an 800W DC motor powered by a Li-pol battery while the space below and behind it is intended for electro-optical equipment. The airborne computer is in the central part.

Vrabac weighs 5.3 kg with a 2.80 meters wing span. It can carry a payload of maximum of 1.5 kg. It has a total of 1 hour flying time and has a maximum flight speed of 85 km/h. The operational range of the Vrabac is >10 km, and its operating height is 300 to 500 meters.[2]

Specifications

  • Length: 1,9 m
  • Wingspan: 2,8 m
  • Weight: 9 kg
  • Launch: automatic, hand launch
  • Recovery: automatic, parachute and airbag
  • Engine: electric motor
  • Speed: 85 km/h
  • Altitude: 500 m
  • Endurance: 1 hour
  • Range: 50 km
  • Guidance: electro-optical/infrared camera
  • Operation: real-time telemetry downlink to ground control station

Variant

In 2022, an armed version was revealed that can be equipped with six 40 mm M22 munitions.[3]

Operators

See also

References

  1. ↑ "UAVs: Serbian UAV Solution "Sparrow"". Balkan Monitor. 28 January 2010.
  2. ↑ "Тактичка беспилотна летелица кратког долета (ТБЛ)". ДОБРОДОШЛИ НА ВЕБ САЈТ - Војнотехничког института (in Serbian). Retrieved 2023-03-02.
  3. ↑ Gosselin-Malo, Elisabeth (2022-11-21). "Serbia may become biggest operator of military drones in Balkans". Defense News. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
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