Belarus has begun flight tests of the Sky-Truck, the largest unmanned helicopter in the CIS, capable of carrying up to 600 kg of cargo over 480 kilometers.
The Minsk-based design bureau Unmanned Helicopters has launched flight trials of the Sky-Truck, a multi-purpose UAV that represents the most advanced unmanned helicopter project in the post-Soviet space. With a flight range of up to 480 km and endurance of four hours, the Sky-Truck can deliver between 500 and 600 kg of cargo to remote or hard-to-reach areas.
The drone is intended for a wide range of uses, from the urgent delivery of medical supplies and food to transportation of military equipment and other critical cargo. Its maximum speed of 180 km/h and take-off weight of over two tons make it the most powerful UAV of its kind in the region.
The Sky-Truck’s massive 12.8-meter rotor is powered by a turboshaft gas-turbine engine running on aviation kerosene. Initially designed around the Russian VK-650 engine, the UAV has also been adapted to accommodate various Rolls-Royce powerplants, giving it flexibility for both domestic and international applications.
Large-scale unmanned helicopters of this size have rarely been showcased in Russia or the wider CIS. The Sky-Truck’s development signals a new level of ambition in Belarus’s aerospace sector, combining heavy-lift capacity with unmanned versatility.
