Azernews.Az

Kazakhstan Engineering National Company has successfully flight-tested the upgraded unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Shagala-M, the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development announced on June 1, Azernews reports, citing Astana Times.

The test demonstrated improved tactical and technical characteristics of the drone, including speed, altitude, and flight range.

Temirzhan Abdrakhmanov, Chairman of Kazakhstan Engineering, said the UAV is widely used for monitoring oil and gas pipelines and power lines. It can also be used as an alternative to helicopters during search and rescue operations and act as a communication relay in disaster relief.

According to Gani Baiseitov, General-Director of the Research and Development Center at Kazakhstan Engineering, Shagala-M does not need a runway and costs cheaper than foreign drones.

This year, the ministry outlined the rules on UAV operations in Kazakhstan’s airspace, which regulate not only the procedures for their use but also the accounting, classifying, and issuing permits for the drones.

Kazakhstan Engineering is launching a training program for pilots and mechanics at an aviation training center to ensure safe and efficient operation of civilian drones and copters.