In Russia there will be a “unmanned aerial project”: what Putin is up to

Regions instructed to generate demand for drones

Vladimir Putin has decided to increase the number of national projects to the devil’s dozen. The thirteenth most important task for the state will be the production of drones, or the “drone project,” as Dmitry Peskov, presidential aide for technological development, put it. Putin instructed the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) to help the regions generate demand for drones and create the infrastructure necessary for their use. The piloting of such devices is called one of the promising professions for people from 18 to 55 years old.

Established in 2011, the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) has traditionally dealt with social issues and the promotion of various civil projects. But at Thursday’s meeting, Vladimir Putin set new tasks for the organization. ASI, according to him, should develop a system for selecting and supporting domestic brands that have the prospect of growing to federal levels and competing with global players. “We have a lot of good, high-quality goods: clothes, consumer goods, which are produced by Russian enterprises,” the president believes. Previously, it was difficult for them to break even into the domestic market. But now the situation has improved. Western brands under pressure from their governments are leaving the market. “All the best to them,” Putin wished, noting that the companies themselves are not too happy with this development of events. “Our companies, our entrepreneurs are picking up these enterprises and continue this work very successfully,” Putin said. “Russian business has received unique opportunities for development, and we need to take full advantage of this.”

According to Putin, the ASI, together with officials and regions, needs to create conditions for goods made in Russia to become a matter of national pride and gain wide recognition abroad. This applies not only to existing products, but also to future developments. Particularly for drones. Vladimir Putin said that the government is about to form a “corresponding national project.” “Its purpose is to provide opportunities for the widespread use of drones and a high level of localization of their production,” the president explained. Recall that since 2018, 12 national projects have been implemented in the Russian Federation. But they are of a broader nature: culture, education, healthcare, ecology, roads, etc. The head of state’s interest in drones grew strongly after the start of the SVO, when both the importance of these systems and the lack of the full range of necessary competencies in the Russian Federation became obvious. Putin has repeatedly raised this topic at various events. And at a meeting with the ASI, he said that in the spring he would hold a large meeting on the development of unmanned aircraft with the participation of ministries, departments and interested companies.

Dmitry Peskov, Special Representative of the President for Digital and Technological Development, assured that the “unmanned aerial vehicle project” is developing successfully and that “maximum breakthrough” can be achieved in this area by joint efforts. The task of the current moment, according to him, is to create a new industry of unmanned air transport, following the example of how the USSR created civil aviation 100 years ago. Peskov said that the government is substantively working on the formation of a state order for drones. It is already obvious that the country will need “much more” than those 6 thousand medium and heavy vehicles that were originally planned to be ordered.

The developers themselves said that their models are universal. Prior to the NWO, the emphasis was on heavy equipment – in particular, unmanned vehicles weighing 700 kg, which are capable of carrying loads weighing 200 kg. They were planned to be widely used in the civilian sectors of the economy. But now, “realizing the needs”, companies began to create lightweight devices weighing 60, 30 and even 12 kg. Such drones can take off and land on unprepared surfaces and be used for both peaceful and military purposes. True, there are a number of problems – these are microprocessors, which Russia itself does not produce, and lithium-ion batteries. But here the situation is better: a specialized production is planned to open as early as 2023.

One of the participants in the meeting managed to announce “the other best countries in the world.” Putin immediately wrote down this phrase. And when the person finished speaking, he put it in front of him: “The best country in the world is Russia! I hope you made a simple mistake.”

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 0 dated November 30 -0001

Newspaper headline:
National project “on drones”