---
title: "Russian Company Builds Flying Model of Multipurpose Frigate Drone"
description: "Russian military corporation Kronstadt Group has created a flying model of its frigate drone which combines the hovering action of a helicopter with the cruising ability of an airplane."
date: "2017-08-07"
modified: "2017-08-07"
authors:
  - name: "Marco Margaritoff"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/marco-margaritoff"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/article/13127/russian-company-builds-flying-model-of-multipurpose-frigate-drone"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Aerial"
  - "Drones"
---

# Russian Company Builds Flying Model of Multipurpose Frigate Drone

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/08/kronstadt-hero-01.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Remember the [THOR Transformer Drone](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/12608/thor-transformer-drone-can-hover-and-cruise-equally-well>) that could both hover and cruise equally well, combining the characteristics of an airplane and a helicopter? Well, it turns out that Russia's Kronstadt Group, a military manufacturer in Russia, has successfully manufactured a flying model of a frigate drone that does exactly that. If CEO of the Kronstadt Group, Vladimir Voronov, is to be believed, that is.

[According to SputnikNews](<https://sputniknews.com/russia/201708021056104121-russia-multipurpose-frigate-drone/>), Voronov claimed that "Kronstadt created a drone that can fly both as a plane and as a helicopter. Owing to this feature, its flying range is increased by three times comparing to a helicopter drone." In other words, the drone would lift off vertically like a helicopter, then cruise to its destination like an airplane. If you're looking for a video example of this multi-purpose feature, take a look at the THOR drone, of which we actually have some [video evidence](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/12608/thor-transformer-drone-can-hover-and-cruise-equally-well>).

[The CEO of Kronstadt add](<https://sputniknews.com/russia/201708021056104121-russia-multipurpose-frigate-drone/>)ed that a "vertical take-off aircraft is the Holy Grail of modern aviation. AgustaWestland and Lockheed Martin, as well as other leaders of the aviation industry, are working on that." The plan, [according to SputnikNews](<https://sputniknews.com/russia/201708021056104121-russia-multipurpose-frigate-drone/>), is to have a two-tonne frigate drone with these abilities implemented by 2020, with a bigger, seven-tonne frigate drone produced by 2023. According to Voronov, the former version would not require any particular type of airfield to take-off and would be regarded as an unmanned aerial combat vehicle. [According to SputnikNews](<https://sputniknews.com/russia/201708021056104121-russia-multipurpose-frigate-drone/>), Kronstadt Group is also working on the [Orion Surveillance Drone](<https://sputniknews.com/science/201707191055692733-russia-orion-drone-export/>) which would be available for export to other states.

Now, we've been duped before, when it came to a product that hadn't produced a large amount of evidence of its existence, from a company boasting about its capabilities. For complete disclosure, the most significant alternate sources we've found for the Kronstadt Group's frigate drone are an article on [Defence-Blog](<https://defence-blog.com/news/in-russia-are-developing-a-new-uav-frigate.html>) (which seems to be an earlier prototype model) and a piece on [RTNews](<https://www.rt.com/news/342999-russian-transformer-drone-video/>). If all is to be believed, the SputnikNews piece regards the actual, flying, most recent version of these earlier UAVs. Whatever the case may be - we will be sure to keep you posted on this potential multipurpose UAV.

### Author social links  
[Facebook](<https://facebook.com/MarcofromHamburg>)  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/marcomc2>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/marcomc2>)