Zala T-16 (UAV)

History

2026: Implementation of intercontinental drone control

In January 2026, at the Russian Antarctic station Mirny, during the 71st Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE), an unmanned aircraft from Izhevsk was first controlled. Operators of the Mission Control Center took control of the Zala T-16 unmanned complex, being at a distance of several thousand kilometers.

According to the press service of the Zala group of companies (part of the Kalashnikov concern), the control of the drone in Antarctic latitudes from a ground point in Russia became possible thanks to the over-the-horizon control technology developed by Zala engineers. The stable C2 line relay channel (Command & Control) provided high-definition video and telemetry data transmission in real time.

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Фото: zala-aero.com

The tasks of Zala T-16 included monitoring ice cracks and faults, as well as aerial surveillance of penguins as part of a biological monitoring program. Integration with the Zala 4Z1x digital platform allowed specialists in Izhevsk and Moscow to receive continuous video broadcasting from the board. The implemented remote control scheme opens up opportunities for research in hard-to-reach regions without the physical presence of the operator on the spot.

In February 2026, an official representative of the Kalashnikov concern announced that the company had launched into mass production modernized unmanned aerial vehicles Goliaff 2.0 and Karakurt 2.0. According to him, the products have been finalized taking into account the comments received during combat operation.

The Goliaff of 2.0 drone belongs to the class of large reconnaissance drones. It features a high-resolution camera, thermal imager and a system to stabilize the image. "Karakurt 2.0" is a portable drone housed in a backpack. The device is equipped with a day camera and a thermal imager.^[1]

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