ADEX 2022: Smart Point unveils ‘attack' UAVs

Qartal can carry two 81 mm mortar bombs. (Janes/Huw Williams)

Azerbaijan's Smart Point has developed a range of multicopter ‘attack' unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Speaking to Janes at ADEX 2022 in Baku, company director Telman Huseynov said that work on the aircraft commenced three years ago and all are in operational use with Azerbaijan's military.

The range consists of two small quadcopters – the Qirği and Quzgün, each fitted with a forward-firing fragmentation munition akin to a Claymore mine and considered ‘kamikaze', single-use systems – a larger quadcopter, the Şahin, which can carry a single 1 kg 60 mm mortar bomb, and the Qartal octocopter, which can carry two 3 kg 81 mm mortar bombs. The Şahin and Qartal systems are equipped with ballistic computers that calculate the optimum position for the aircraft to engage its target.

Huseynov said that the systems have been developed in response to market demand and in collaboration with Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defence Industry via the National Aerospace Agency.

The aircraft utilize common control software that features GPS waypoint navigation or manual control, and which is protected against spoofing and GPS and communications jamming. All are powered by batteries and feature day/night and thermal cameras.

Huseynov explained that the munitions fitted to the Qirği and Quzgün have 250 g and 700 g of explosives respectively and project ball bearings, the aircraft enter a 45-degree angle of attack against a target before firing, he said.