Orlan-30

Orlan-30 overview

Orlan-30 is a Russian tactical fixed-wing unmanned aircraft associated with the Orlan family and intended for reconnaissance, artillery support, and target designation. Public descriptions distinguish it from the more widely documented Orlan-10 by emphasizing a larger mission payload and precision-fire support, but not every reported family distinction is supported by a complete official data sheet.

Open reporting commonly associates Orlan-30 with electro-optical reconnaissance and laser-related target-designation equipment. The aircraft is produced by Russia's Special Technology Center, which also developed the Orlan-10 family. Dimensions, speed, range, endurance, ceiling, payload, weight, datalink, and sensor fit are Not publicly disclosed here as one verified Orlan-30 specification.

The aircraft was publicly displayed in Russia in the early 2020s, and Russian military use in the war against Ukraine has been reported in artillery-reconnaissance contexts. Through September 2026, public evidence does not establish production totals or a complete operator list. Battlefield sightings should not be used to infer that every aircraft carrying an Orlan family label has the same sensors or performance; the supplied image is interpretative artwork, not technical evidence.

Armament

No confirmed onboard weapon; reconnaissance, laser designation, and artillery-support payloads reported

Development and operational timeline

1. Aug 2020Orlan-30 is publicly displayed in Russia as a larger Orlan-family reconnaissance and target-designation aircraft
2. Jun 2021Public descriptions emphasize the aircraft's reported artillery-support and precision-fire mission set
3. Jun 2023Open reporting associates Orlan-30 with Russian battlefield reconnaissance and artillery operations in Ukraine
4. Sep 2026Orlan-30 remains associated with Russian tactical reconnaissance; configuration, production, and operator totals remain incompletely public