Published: · Region: Eastern Europe · Category: conflict

New Ukrainian Recon Drone and Amphibious Ground Vehicle Highlight Homegrown Battlefield Robotics

Ukraine has unveiled the Besomar 1100 reconnaissance UAV, with a 100 km range and four-hour endurance, and used an amphibious unmanned ground vehicle to deliver supplies over more than 40 km for the 93rd Mechanized Brigade.

Ukrainian developers and military units are fielding new unmanned systems that extend surveillance reach and reduce risk on supply runs.

The company Besomar has introduced the Besomar 1100 reconnaissance UAV. The drone has a claimed range of up to 100 kilometers and a flight endurance of around four hours. It cruises at 90–100 km/h, can reach speeds of up to 160 km/h and operates at altitudes up to 5.5 kilometers.

Under its nose, the Besomar 1100 carries a stabilized electro-optical observation system, allowing steadier imaging during flight. The company also refers to unspecified technical solutions intended to help the UAV operate in contested environments, though it has not detailed those measures.

A separate Ukrainian effort is focused on ground logistics. The Alter Ego unit of the 93rd Mechanized Brigade has completed its first logistics mission with an amphibious unmanned ground vehicle after months of joint work with the developer.

According to Ukrainian accounts, the UGV traveled more than 40 kilometers along a route that combined land and water. On land it maintained the off-road mobility of a ground vehicle, and when it reached water it shifted into swimming mode within seconds and continued moving. The mission successfully delivered ammunition and provisions to Ukrainian positions.

Both platforms are intended to support frontline forces: the Besomar 1100 by extending reconnaissance over a wide area, and the amphibious UGV by moving supplies across difficult terrain while keeping human drivers out of direct danger.

Signals to watch include evidence of wider Besomar 1100 deployment in combat footage and indications that the amphibious UGV concept is being adopted by additional Ukrainian units.

Sources