According to information provided by the Russian state news agency TASS, the association known as “Inventors for the Front” has recently developed a drone that has been specifically designed to enhance its usefulness in battlefield situations. This drone, which is called “Korshun,” has the unique feature of being able to be flown either by hand or from the ground. Unlike other aircraft-type drones, Korshun does not require a launch catapult to get off the ground, which is a significant advantage.
To elaborate further, aircraft-type drones are typically more complicated and time-consuming to deploy, as they require the use of a launch catapult, which can take upwards of 15 to 20 minutes to mount on the ground and configure the drone properly. The Inventors for the Front association has stated that Korshun’s rapid deployment capability is one of its greatest strengths, as the drone can be deployed in just two minutes. This quick deployment time allows the mobile team to avoid being stationary in one geographical location for too long, which would increase the risk of enemy reconnaissance or even a kamikaze drone attack.
Korshun’s mobility and fast deployment make it an extremely useful asset on the battlefield, although its actual performance in combat situations has not yet been tested. However, the association claims that assembling the drone is relatively easy, with its fastenings crumbling in a matter of minutes. The drone consists of a tail and two wings, and it is ready for flight once it is put together.
In terms of flight capabilities, Korshun can be launched in two ways – either from the hand or from the ground. When launched from the ground, the drone behaves like a quadcopter, although it has some differences. The take-off of Korshun is similar to that of a quadcopter, as it starts up, climbs vertically to a certain height, and then its front propeller turns on, allowing the drone to fly like a single-engine airplane. The association claims that this quadcopter-style launch allows the drone to store more energy, which increases its flight time in the air. In fact, Korshun can fly for up to two hours, whereas other drones like the Mavic can only fly for around 30 minutes.
Korshun has the potential to be used for both reconnaissance and combat purposes. The Inventors for the Front association has not commented on the former, but it is strongly implied that the drone has reconnaissance capabilities. The team that developed Korshun has explicitly stated that the drone has been designed to launch various types of explosive munitions, including fragmentation grenades. This is a feature that has been utilized extensively by the Ukrainian armed forces, who have been successful in converting civilian drones into combat vehicles by enabling them to launch cluster munitions. The Russian developers have hinted that Korshun may be sent to the war zone in Ukraine soon to conduct its first tests in real combat conditions. If it performs well, Moscow may place an order for more drones.
