January 16, 2024 | Sergey Litvinov

Motherboard for a New Version of Unmanned Helicopter

The Electronics Department of UVR LLC has completed the development and testing of the main motherboard for a new version of a light electric helicopter-type UAV, which will be the next stage in the evolution of the UAV “Electron 7”.

The board contains power converters for UAV electronic devices, servos and payloads, it provides control of the UAV recovery system and reads UAV performance data from sensors. The outputs of the motherboard power converters of the UAV’s electronic devices and servos are additionally equipped with a backup battery designed to power the devices and servos in the event of a failure of the main converters.

Versatility is the most prominent feature of the new motherboard. Devices are connected to the motherboard through a separate switchboard, the topology of which can be changed to make possible the application of the motherboard in other UAV models without changing its main parameters.

Motherboard for a New Version of Unmanned Helicopter

Product’s characteristics:

– power supply: lithium-ion (polymer) 12-14S batteries;

– maximum current consumption of the motor controllers connected to the board: 100 A;

– payload power converter parameters: 24 V / 15 A;

– microcontroller used: STM32F7 series;

– memory IC for maintaining power modes in the event of a failure of the microcontroller;

– a special function – turning off the power electronics in case the UAV’s recovery system is triggered (minimizing the chance for a UAV fire).

The use of the new motherboard in new versions of UAVs will significantly increase the flight time and range, the reliability of the UAV in non-standard situations, and will reduce production costs.

December 28, 2023 | Sergey Litvinov

Happy New Year 2024!

Dear colleagues, business partners and friends of our company in Belarus and abroad!

Merry Christmas to you and Happy New Year! Thank you for all the good things that we managed to achieve together in the past year and hope that in the new year 2024 we will achieve even more!

We wish you and your loved ones good health, success in all your endeavors, overcoming all obstacles and implementing all your plans!

尊敬的同仁们、商业伙伴们以及我公司在白俄罗斯和国外的朋友们！

我们热烈祝贺即将到来的2024年新年快乐以及圣诞节快乐！我们感谢你们在过去的一年里与我们一起达成的目标与成绩，并希望在新的一年里我们能取得更大的成就！

我们祝愿您和您的亲人身体健康、万事如意、克服困难、愿望成真！

Happy New Year 2024! — Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Background

December 15, 2023 | Sergey Litvinov

Hybrid UAV Prototype Testing

UVR LLC specialists successfully tested a prototype of a light helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicle with a hybrid power source, developed on the basis of the UAV “Electron 7”. In this case, the term “hybrid” implies the coordinated operation of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, which is a non-standard solution for unmanned aircraft.

The use of a compact internal combustion engine as the main power source will almost quadruple the flight time of the UAV!

The abovementioned hybrid UAV prototype is an intermediate stage of R&D works on the project. The tasks of next stage will be optimizing of the UAV’s design, improving its layout and reducing the weight of the structural elements.

December 5, 2023 | Sergey Litvinov

Development of Cooperation with Africa

UVR LLC was visited by a delegation of government structures of the Republic of Benin.

The guests got acquainted with the areas of research activities and experimental production of the company, and also took part in demonstration flights of the group of light UAVs “Electron 7” at “Kukhtichi” airfield.

The flights were carried out in close to extreme conditions with high humidity and low temperatures.

At the request of the guests, specialists from UVR LLC carried out a number of unplanned scenarios of operation for the team of two light UAVs used for monitoring and protecting the perimeter. Selective determination of objects coordinates, data transfer to the ground control station, correction of the flight mission, interaction between several UAVs, tracking of the selected target were carried out. Also, the correctness of video information transmission on long distances was checked.

It should be noted that in many countries of West Africa, including Benin, there is a serious problem of providing security of various civil and industrial infrastructure facilities, and also of nature reserves and national parks that have vast territories, hard to access by ground transport.

To solve these problems UVR LLC proposes the use of a specialized system based on the “Electron 7” UAV with a set of specific payloads and a motion control sensor system.

Also, the delegation was highly interested in the results of R&D work on the conversion of heavy piloted helicopters based on the Mi-2 prototype, capable of moving cargo with weight more than 1000 kg in conditions of high temperatures. This helicopter model is well known in African countries and has a longtime positive experience. This opens up a good chance for our company to enter the UAV market in the region.

November 15, 2023 | Sergey Litvinov

Entering the Chinese Market

As a result of long-lasting negotiations, in November this year, UVR LLC was visited by a delegation of the businessmen from the People’s Republic of China, top managers of Chinese companies operating helicopters manufactured in the former USSR and interested in extending the commercial life of their aircraft fleet by converting them into unmanned aerial vehicles.

The guests got familiar with the latest developments of UVR LLC, its research and production base, and the results of the R&D works in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles. At the same time, demonstration flights of the UAV “COMBO” based on the Ka-26 helicopter with a maximum load on an external sling, light and medium UAVs of our own design with various target and payloads were carried out at the Kukhtichi airfield, the results of work on the next stage of R&D of the conversion of the manned helicopter Mi-2.

The colleagues from the People’s Republic of China highly appreciated the level of the innovative solutions of UVR LLC. Their greatest interest was attracted by the results of the work on the conversion of manned helicopters capable of moving cargo with the weight up 1000 kg and more, as currently the most promising areas for the use of heavy UAVs are the construction of infrastructure facilities for the power industry and telecommunications, various types of agricultural works for needs and the transportation of food in hard-to-reach regions.

The Chinese comrades expressed high interest and confidence in the prospects of cooperation with UVR LLC. The highest priority areas are: conversion of helicopters into UAVs in China, joint R&D to develop new types of UAVs and various types of payloads, training of remote pilots, as well as marketing and promotion of helicopter-type UAVs in various segments of the Chinese market.

Basing on the results of the visit and negotiations the parties signed a cooperation agreement.

This next step for sure will be a new stage of development both for UVR LLC and for our Chinese friends. It will allow us to start implementing non-standard projects, unlock joint potential and reach new frontiers of scientific and business activity!

October 23, 2023 | Sergey Litvinov

Successful Testing of Electron 7 New Parachute Recovery System

UVR LLC flight test station professionals have successfully tested a new version of the UAV Electron 7 parachute recovery system, designed to prevent the UAV from causing damage to people and infrastructure in emergency situations, as well as to significantly reduce the possible damage to the UAV itself.

The main difference between this version of the recovery system is the implementation of the algorithm of the UAV’s descent after release of the parachute in the normal position with landing on the chassis, and not on the front part of the fairing.

The new design ensures the integrity of the elements of the supporting system, fairing and tail boom with the tail rotor during landing. The parachute is released both automatically (when the system reacts on critical flight parameters or failures of certain elements) and manually (at the operator’s command from the control unit).

System characteristics:

– minimum application height – 50 m,

– UAV descent speed – 5.0 m/s.

Successful Testing of Electron 7 New Parachute Recovery System

Improving the parachute recovery system of Electron 7 has become the company’s next step towards obtaining a type certificate, as well as confirmation of our competencies in the development and production of unmanned aerial vehicles.

October 3, 2023 | Sergey Litvinov

UVR LLC Participates in Celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the University of Civil Protection of the Belarusian Ministry for Emergency Situations

On September 28, 2023 UVR LLC took part in events dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the University of Civil Protection of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus.

https://mchs.gov.by/glavnoe/432460/

As part of the anniversary celebration events that took place at the training ground of the University branch “Institute of Retraining and Professional Development” (Svetlaya Roshcha, Borisov district) methods of elimination of the consequences of man-made disasters, as well as modern technical means used by the rescuers, were shown to the guests and representatives of the foreign delegations.

UVR LLC and UE ATOMTEX (the only enterprises of the real sector of the economy invited to participate in the event) presented their developments in this area, including the common product – an airborne radiation detection complex RMG-AT2000 carried by the UAV Electron 7.

At the same time, UVR LLC demonstrated a number of payloads designed to meet the needs of the Ministry for Emergency Situations (devices for delivering oxygen cylinders and fire extinguishing capsules, a loudspeaker, a searchlight, gyro-stabilized video cameras, etc.).

UVR LLC Participates in Celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the University of Civil Protection of the Belarusian Ministry for Emergency Situations

Also, the administration of the branch “Institute of Retraining and Advanced Training” rewarded the representatives of UVR LLC with certificates of honor from the University of Civil Protection for their active participation in the special exercise of rescue units of the CSTO countries “Skala (Rock) 2023”. This act confirmed the positive dynamics in the development of cooperation between the company and the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus.

September 7, 2023 | Sergey Litvinov

UVR LLC Participates in the CSTO Firefighters and Rescuers Exercise “Skala 2023”

On September 5 this year UVR LLC took part in a special exercise of the rescue units of the CSTO countries “Skala (Rock) 2023”, the active phase of which took place at the training ground of the “Institute of Retraining and Professional Development”, a branch of the University of Civil Protection of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus (v. Svetlaya Roshcha, Borisov District, Minsk Region). At this stage of the exercise Belarusian rescuers together with the colleagues from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, demonstrated the fulfilment of rescue operations during the liquidation of the consequences of a radiation accident:

https://eng.belta.by/society/view/smooth-actions-of-csto-rescue-workers-at-skala-2023-exercise-in-minsk-oblast-praised-161501-2023/

https://mchs.gov.by/glavnoe/430730/

As part of the demonstration of the use of aviation by the rescuers of the Ministry for Emergency Situations, the specialists of UVR LLC performed flights of the UAV “Electron 7” equipped with the radiation monitoring system RMG-AT2000 manufactured by UE “ATOMTEX” (Minsk).

UVR LLC Participates in the CSTO Firefighters and Rescuers Exercise "Skala 2023"

The demonstration flights were preceded by a report made by a representative of UE “ATOMTEX” for specialists in radiation and chemical protection on the use of the airborne complex RMG-AT2000 with the UAV “Electron 7”.

The participation of UVR LLC in an international exercise has demonstrated an increase in interest in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by rescue services of various countries, the possibility of deepening cooperation between our company and the structures of the Ministries for Emergency Situations of the CSTO member countries, as well as an increase in UVR brand recognition among potential users and customers in the EAEU countries.

September 5, 2023 | Sergey Litvinov

Successful tests of the UAV Electron 7 with a payload of our own production for video monitoring in the thermal imaging range

Specialists of the UVR LLC flight test station have completed the tests of the UAV Electron 7 with a payload of our own design and production – a gyro-stabilized suspension equipped with a domestic thermal imaging module. The payload showed efficient and stable operation in various conditions of use (day and night flights, changes in altitude, range, terrain, etc.).

Flight tests were preceded by the joint work of the electronics and software development departments to adapt the thermal camera to the Gimbal control system and to the UAV operating software.

Successful tests of the UAV Electron 7 with a payload of our own production for video monitoring in the thermal imaging range

The main characteristics of the used thermal imager model:

– type of matrix detector: microbolometric,

– spectral range: 7-14 microns,

– module resolution: 640×480,

– matrix step: 17 microns.

Lens:

– focal length: 30 mm,

– aperture: 0.8,

– field of view (DxH): 12.4×9.3^o.

Important advantages of this payload are its high degree of import substitution (more than 90 percent of the materials and components used are of domestic production) as well as its optimal price-quality ratio.

At customer’s request, it is possible to use domestic thermal imaging modules and optical systems with a higher resolution and improved performance characteristics for the production of similar products.

The device can be used for detecting fires, searching for oil spills, damage to pipelines and power lines, for monitoring traffic of people and migrations of wild animals, as well as for solving other tasks related to the identification of heat-contrasting objects.

July 6, 2023 | Sergey Litvinov

Completion of the Next Stage of Mi-2 Helicopter Conversion

UVR LLC has completed one of the most difficult stages of work on the conversion of a piloted Mi-2 helicopter into an unmanned aerial vehicle with a payload of more than 1000 kg. As part of the implementation of this project, our team installed and adapted servo drives for controlling the swashplate and tail rotor, installed sensors for monitoring the operation parameters of the power plant and helicopter transmission, pneumatic system, fuel system, as well as installed special onboard equipment and carried out its integration with original onboard systems of the basic helicopter.

Currently, the installation of the autopilot unit, control boards, modem for data transmission, course cameras is being carried out. After the completion of these phase, the company’s specialists will begin ground and flight tests.

Completion of the Next Stage of Mi-2 Helicopter Conversion

The conversion of the Mi-2 helicopter into UAV is becoming increasingly important due to the constant growth of the market demand for unmanned air carriers of heavy cargo and flying cranes. This particular helicopter model was one of the most widely produced and technically successful and has optimal dimensions and takeoff weight. These factors determine the prospects of converting this particular helicopter into a drone.