Orion (Inokhodets)

Russia's indigenous medium-altitude long-endurance combat drone — a reconnaissance-strike platform used in limited numbers over Ukraine and marketed for export.

Overview

The Orion, known in Russian service as Inokhodets (“Pacer”), is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle developed by the Kronshtadt Group. It is Russia’s first domestically designed armed MALE drone, roughly analogous in class to the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 or the US MQ-1C Gray Eagle, and carries an electro-optical/infrared payload alongside guided munitions. The type has been deployed in modest numbers during the war in Ukraine, primarily for surveillance and artillery direction, while the export version Orion-E has been offered to several foreign customers.

Development

Kronshtadt began work on the Orion in the early 2010s as part of a broader push to close Russia’s long-standing gap in armed medium-endurance drones. The prototype first flew in 2016, with trials continuing into 2019 – 20 Wikipedia. A first batch of operational airframes was delivered to the Russian Ministry of Defence for acceptance trials in 2020, marking the system’s entry into service GlobalMilitary. Serial production has remained limited, with no total fleet size publicly established, and Kronshtadt continues to refine the platform while pursuing export customers.

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