The Pchela 1T was an unmanned aerial vehicle developed and built by Yakovlev between 1988 and 1990. It had been in service with the Russian Air Force until 2017. This drone was used for reconnaissance and surveillance missions and flew over enemy held territory. It was employed during the Syrian Civil War. Based on the Pchel 1, the export version was marketed as the 'Sterkh' and the 'Shmel'.
Equipped with a TV reconnaissance camera, the Pchela 1T had performed its first test flight on September 28, 1989. In the course of the trials, it logged a total of 50 flight hours between them. The test flights did not always worked fine, because a total of six prototypes got lost in crashes. It would first be shown to the public during the Moscow Aerospace Exhibition in 1990.
Technical Characteristics
The Pchela 1T was fitted with straight, cantilever, shoulder-mounted wing of rectangular shape, with ailerons. It featured a recovering parachute, which was stowed in the dorsal area housing above the wing. It was powered by a 440cc, two-stroke engine, delivering 35.5 HP. Each cylinder had its own carburettor and fuel pump.
The Pchela 1T autopilot consisted of a computer, into which the flight program was loaded, a compass, a vertical gyro, and a yaw/pitch/roll sensor. It was also fitted with electric servos for the control surfaces and engine throttle. For the reconnaissance missions, its TV camera had a zoom lens. Under the nose, it also had a thermal imager installed on a gyrostabilized platform.
Specifications
Type: tactical, reconnaissance, aerial vehicle.
Length: 2.78 m
Wingspan: 3.25 m
Launch Weight: 138 kg
Combat Radius: 60 km
Flight Altitude: between 100 to 3,100 m
The Pchela 1T with its green-grey camouflage paint.
Below, the Pchela 1T being launched in 1993.
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