ZALA 421-08

History

Over the past two decades, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have actively proven themselves in warfare and humanitarian operations. During this period, the evolution of fundamental design methods was observed, with smaller and smaller units capable of achieving larger and larger feats in the sky.

Todays drone aircraft can perform a plethora of missions on the battlefieldwhether under human command through autonomous operationsincluding intelligence gathering, enemy position/troop reconnaissance, medical supplies delivery, and enemy combatants or Survivor identification.

The hand-launched ZALA "421-08" UAV mainly provides reconnaissance missions for the modern Russian army. It has a takeoff weight of just 5.5 pounds, a wingspan of 2.66 feet, and a range of up to 18.65 miles.

The aircraft has a mission endurance window of just over 1.5 hours and is capable of operating at an altitude of 6,560 feet.

Its lightweight design makes it portable in the field, and the system's reliance on electrical power ensures a low acoustic signature when operating near enemy forces. The fuselage is of one-piece construction and is strong enough to operate in all-weather environments, while carrying its most important optics (with a payload rating of up to 0.66 lbs) in a curved wing fuselage design. A twin-blade propeller unit is located on the nose.

Navigation is ensured by traditional INS method with SNS (GPS/GLONASS) correction system. The unit can be put into use within minutes by a manual or elastic catapult and retrieved by parachute or airbag for reuse.

ZALA Aero Group's 421-08 model series includes the 421-8M. The company produces a complete line of drone/drone solutions (as well as counter-drone products) for different roles, including ZALA "GEO" and ZALA "Drone Delivery" (ZDD) models.

The full list can be found on their website https://zala-aero. com/en/.

Specification

BASICS

Year of Service

2008

Origins

Russia

Status

Active.

Crew

0

Production

350

Manufacturer

ZALA Aviation Group - Russia

Operator

Russia

Roles

Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scouts

Monitor ground targets/target areas to assess surrounding threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

Unmanned ability

Aircraft designed (or later developed) have inherent unmanned capabilities and can fill a variety of battlefield roles.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

1.3 feet

(0.41m)

Width/span

2. 6 feet

(0.80m)

Cured weight

2 lbs

(1kg)

MTOW

4 lbs

(2kg)

Wgt Difference

+2 pt

(+1 kg)

Performance

Installed:

1 x electric motor drives the two-bladed propeller on the nose.

Maximum speed

93 km/h

(150 km/h | 81 kn)

Maximum

11,811 feet

(3,600 m | 2 km)

Area

9 km

(15 km | 28 nautical miles)

Range (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Armor

None. Mission payloads are limited to camera and sensor equipment.

Variations

421-08 - Base Family Name