The Russian stratospheric drone \"Argus\" falls behind its American counterpart Odysseus by more than two times. The domestic new product will be able to fly for up to 40 days autonomously, whereas the development by Boeing can remain airborne for up to 90 days.
However, \"Argus\" is capable of carrying up to 40 kg of payload on board. For comparison, the payload of Odysseus is up to 25 kg . The flight altitude of the Russian UAV is up to 25 km, while the American aircraft rises to an altitude of about 20 km.
The power system of both drones is identical — solar panels. The wingspan of \"Argus\" is 40 m, while that of Odysseus is 74 m. It is likely that the endurance figures are partly related precisely to this parameter.
Tests of \"Argus\" will begin in March 2026. In the future, it will be able to operate as an airborne communications operator and provide users with high-speed internet. The project is being considered as an alternative method of data transmission based on a principle similar to the Starlink system.