Ukrainian Company Huless Unveils Highline-T Tether-Powered Relay Drone

The Ukrainian company Huless has unveiled the Highline-T tether-powered relay drone.

Details about the system were revealed during an interview with the company’s CEO for Militarnyi.

The basic configuration includes the drone, a control station, a winch system, and an uninterrupted power supply unit. The system features a modular architecture, allowing users to integrate their own communications equipment and electronic warfare systems into the package.

Despite being held in a fixed position in the air by a tether connection, the drone is equipped with optical odometry sensors (used to determine and track the drone’s position and orientation in flight) to ensure stable positioning. The developer notes that this capability is important for operating directional antennas.

The drone is equipped with a backup power system and an emergency parachute. The UAV can also be fitted with a fiber-optic cable for communications, providing data transmission speeds of up to 1 Gbps.

“We are moving any assets from the ground to the second layer. Our company believes in four communication layers: first, the ground layer; then the Highline-T antenna – what we are developing; the third layer is pseudo-satellites, which are solar-powered aircraft that can stay in the air for 30 days; and the fourth layer is satellites,” explained Huless CEO Taras, outlining the company’s vision.

The developer states that the drone’s motors have a service life of 2,000 hours and are resistant to overheating. The drone can remain airborne for more than four hours.

The system is capable of integrating with the software of other radio communication and electronic warfare (EW) systems, as well as controlling the drone.

“Essentially, Ukraine is currently building an airborne-based infrastructure for communications and electronic warfare capabilities,” Taras stated.

The first version of the system was developed in 2022, and the project has now reached its sixth iteration.

The company provides training for crews of up to three operators to use the system, depending on the pilots’ level of experience.

The developer reports that a mobile version of the Highline-T system is being developed for integration with UGVs (unmanned ground vehicles) and unmanned surface vehicles (USVs).

The system can be purchased on The Chain platform using e-points.