Russian state news agency TASS has recently revealed a series of details about the activities of the ‘secret’ Special Technology Center (CTE) from Saint Petersburg. This facility offers around 90 different coursesbut the main focus of the information was operator training for drones recognition Orlan-10 and Orlan-30developed by the CTE.
He Orlan-10 entered service in 2011 and has a composite fuselage that reduces its radar signature. Drones are often deployed in groups of two or three; the first is used for reconnaissance at a height of 1,000 to 1,500 meters, the second for electronic warfare and the third as a data relay. In 2020a larger version was introduced, Orlan-30with a laser designator option to increase the effectiveness of other precision weapons. They are fundamental drones in Russia’s strategy on the Ukrainian battlefield and, beyond technology, require experienced and skilled operators to use.
According to Roman Ivanovchief design director of the center, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the training processes for these drone operators have intensified significantly. The training course now lasts 12 hours a day, instead of 8, allowing Operators are fully trained in just one month. The curriculum has also eliminated the ‘civil applications’ segment that was previously included, to focus exclusively on military use.
The information indicates that the Ministry of Defense Russia has requested improvements to the equipment used at the training center, although no formal agreements have yet been reached. The ministry aims train 1,000 drone operators over the next year, averaging more than 80 per month.
It also highlights how Russian officials lament the high cost of the training program, which amounts to one million rubles (around €9,800) per operator. This expense is mainly due to extensive practice with real drones, since The Orlan UAVs used in training cost more than 10 million rubles (around €98,000)depending on the specific configuration.
Lifespan of Orlan drones
During training, an Orlan drone usually withstand two to three months of continuous use. Based on this information, it can be estimated that an Orlan UAV has a useful life of around 720 to 1,080 flight hoursassuming 12 hours of daily use, seven days a week. However, in practice, they seem to wear out faster.
The operators, many of whom have no prior experience with UAVsespecially with fixed wing ones like the Orlan, are divided in teams of at least three people: a pilot, an equipment operator and a technician. Before starting the course, candidates undergo aptitude tests to assess their suitability for drone operation.