Made by Russia's Innovative Integrated Systems (IKS), the Fixar drone has both fixed-wing and ... [+]
Russia’s Fixar drone is designed for the sweet spot between quadcopters and fixed-wing aircraft. With rotors set at an angle and wings for efficiency, it can take off and land vertically, while still offering endurance over distance. Fixar went on sale in Russia this September, with a plan for foreign exports by the end of the year.
With its bright red carapace and oddly placed rotors, the Fixar drone, made by Russia’s Innovative Integrated Systems, exemplifies the dual-use nature of modern drone platforms.
“The manufacturer plans to export FIXAR 007 to the CIS, EU, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia - in other words, launch a truly global campaign into rapidly growing commercial markets,” said Samuel Bendett, a CNAS Adjunct Senior Fellow who researches applications of Russian military unmanned system and AI. “This shows growing confidence among Russian UAV manufactures in their technology and in the receptivity of their technology around the world.”
All-electric, it can fly for up to 60 minutes on a single charge, carrying a modest 4.4-pound payload, with a cruising speed of 45 mph. Fixar has a 5-foot wingspan, but can be disassembled and reassembled into a more compact carrying case. The manufacturer boasts it can also operate in temperatures as cold as -22 Fahrenheit, as warm as 140 Fahrenheit, and at altitudes up to 16,000 feet above sea level. Its unique airframe and flying style is also designed to better handle high winds.
While the payload capacity is modest, it’s enough for a useful camera system. That makes Fixar the kind of surveillance platform useful for pipeline inspection, and other extractive industries, while also being useful for military customers.
“These characteristics point to a potential security and defense role, although no announcement so far pointed that this UAV will be in military service. At the same time, FIXAR 007 was displayed during the ARMY-2020 military expo, so the manufacturer is keeping its options open,” says Bendett, an adviser to the CNA Russia Program who specializes in Russian unmanned military systems.
Fixar’s makers also say the drone offers autonomous navigation, with a special bonus. They claim it has sensors and algorithmic guidance that better enable it to navigate geomagnetic anomalies.
There are already Fixar drones slated for delivery to a Canadian company by the end of 2020, and it has customers in Japan, Russia, Latvia and Uzbekistan.
While its flight times are extremely modest compared to most purpose-built military drones, Fixar represents the continued increase of capabilities available at more market-friendly prices. By fitting into a transportable case, it is part of a future where every infantry unit that has a truck can also have its own aerial surveillance.
