Developers in Krasnoyarsk have proposed an unusual hybrid drone that can not only stay in the air for a long time but also act as an aerial charging station for other UAVs. The device is based on a Y-shaped frame with three electric motors.

Two power units are responsible for vertical thrust, and the third engine is mounted on a swivel mechanism and can change the direction of thrust. When gliding, it switches to generator mode: the oncoming airflow rotates the propeller, and the generated energy is returned to the batteries.

The main feature of the design is a toroidal helium shell. It creates additional lift and reduces the load on the electric motors.

Flexible solar panels are proposed to be placed on the outside of the shell, which also recharge the batteries during flight.

An induction coil is located in the central part of the device, allowing energy to be transmitted to another drone wirelessly. Thus, one device can act as an aerial repeater, observer, and simultaneously a mobile charging station.