The Belarusian company UVR (United Vehicle Robotics) has turned a Mi-2 helicopter into a drone.

The Russian telegram channel reported on this with reference to company representatives.

A temporary airworthiness certificate was issued in 2024, and testing of the product began in December.

According to the developers, the drone is designed to deliver cargo in the oil and gas industry, conduct rescue operations, and build power lines and other networks in hard-to-reach areas.

The Mi-2 was chosen because a significant number of these machines were manufactured in Soviet times, and their modernization allows for an extended service life.

In addition, UVR plans to convert other helicopters, including the Mi-8 and Ka-32, into unmanned versions.

It is known that the Mi-2-based drone has a cruising speed of up to 180 km/h, a flight time with a 700 kg payload of up to 2.5 hours, and a flight range of up to 350 kilometers.

The drone’s flight time without load, but with external tanks, is up to 5 hours, and the flight range is up to 620 kilometers.

The maximum payload, including fuel, is 1.2 tons.

Converting helicopters into drones

On December 11, it was reported that Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, had demonstrated the UH-60 Black Hawk unmanned helicopter.

The demonstration took place as part of the US Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector program, which explores the capabilities of drones in providing logistics in difficult combat conditions.

The Black Hawk was equipped with the MATRIX system, which transforms manned helicopters into unmanned ones without significant modernization.

One of the main advantages of the system is that marines can easily make adjustments to the flight mission using special tablets.