Unusually large, a quadcopter drone exhibited at the Armiya-2024 forum in russia draws attention. Named Motylyok/Motylek, russian for Butterfly, this heavyweight was created by Sovelmash, a UAV manufacturer from Zelenograd (one of Moscow districts).
According to the declared specifications, it weighs 25 kilograms and is allegedly capable of lifting a payload of up to 250 kilograms, it can even take an FAB-250 free-falling aerial bomb to drop it onto the enemy.
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The developers say their Motylyok drone uses asynchronous motors with a power output of 60 kW. They admit that for the production of this drone, not only russian but also imported components are used, such as batteries and controllers.
They suggest that in addition to delivery of heavy ammunition onto its targets, Motylyok can also partake in reconnaissance missions by attaching optical surveillance or SIGINT equipment instead of armament to the hardpoint under the fuselage.
Apart from that, the creators hope that Motylyok will also be helpful for logistical support of russian army units, the cargo will be fastened underneath the same way. But first, this development is yet to complete the tests, then it must be officially adopted by the russian military, and only after all these procedures, we'll be able to see the real specifications, confirmed in practice.
On a note from Defense Express, there are a few nuances about this product to consider with reasonable skepticism. Firstly, despite such convincing looks and potent specifications claimed, especially in the payload capacity department, it's too early to take them at face value. At the end of the day, even the russian developers of this UAV themselves recognize that their product has not yet been tested in operating conditions.
Nonetheless, an affordable bomber carrying FAB-250 could become a tangible reinforcement for the russian invasion forces deployed in Ukraine. At the same time, the operational range of this drone while carrying such a massive bomb is unclear, and neither are the solutions implemented to ensure hit accuracy.
Clearly, as presented at the exposition, Motylyok is shown with an ordinary FAB-250, without the UMPK kit that provides guidance and essentially turns a "dumb" air bomb into a "smart" one.
Besides, this new russian UAV deserves attention from a different angle, namely, its emergence raises the question of whether it's technically realistic to make an airlift drone of this caliber and, more importantly, launch it into mass production.
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