According to the Russian Investigative Committee’s Moscow transport investigative department, an unmanned combat drone has crashed on Saturday in a town in Russia’s central Ryazan Region, narrowly missing an apartment building.
“The Orion unmanned combat aerial vehicle crashed down during a test flight. According to the preliminary conclusion, there was a technical failure. The reasons are being looked into,” a major case detective of the Russian Investigative Committee’s Moscow transport investigative department said.
According to the detective, the drone had problems prior to the landing.
“The weather could have hardly had any effect. Maybe, a side wind,” he said.
According to the head of Russia’s Ryazan district, the drone crashed about 70 meters (200 feet) from an apartment building.
“No one was hurt,” the official said.
Orion attack drone
The Orion is a medium altitude, long endurance drone with a maximum takeoff weight of 1 ton and a maximum payload of 200 kg. The drone has a service ceiling of 7.5 km and its maximum flight duration with the standard payload is 24 hours. The drone can develop a speed of up 200 km/h. The drone is being developed by Kronshtadt Group.
Back in 2018 the Orion drone had been tested for carrying air bombs. According to some sources, the drone was also used in Syria.
