Supercam S180 and S350 reconnaissance drones have received an optical navigation system, which expands their capabilities when flying in conditions where satellite navigation may be unstable.
The meaning of the modernization is that the device receives an additional way to determine its position and maintain a given route without constant reliance on GPS/GLONASS.
For a reconnaissance drone, this is especially important: loss or distortion of a satellite signal can not only worsen the accuracy of the route, but also complicate the return of the device after completing the task.
Optical navigation uses data from an onboard camera and compares the observed terrain with pre-known information about the route. As a result, the drone can navigate by the surrounding environment, and not only by the coordinates of the satellite system.
The Supercam S350 belongs to the larger aircraft of the family: according to the manufacturer's published characteristics, its maximum flight range is at least 240 km, flight duration reaches 4.5 hours, and the radio link range is up to 100 km.
The Russian military reported that a damaged Supercam S350 drone can in some cases be repaired with ordinary household tape, and also that the drones began to be equipped with net launchers to protect against interceptors.