He disclosed that robot dogs can quietly approach enemy locations and record audio, making them highly valuable for intelligence gathering. They can also carry landmines to blow up enemy strongholds or set target sensors for artillery strikes.
According to Alkhimov, weighing about 12 kg, the robot dog can carry a load of up to 24 kg, making it suitable for transporting mines, medical supplies, or ammunition over two and a half kilometers by remote control. It can travel as fast as 8 km/h, comparable to a human running. However, he acknowledged that the robots could struggle in tall grass.
Alkhimov also said that on the front lines, no vehicles are used for deliveries, and drones like the “Vampire” are crucial for logistics.
“These robot dogs, and the wheeled unmanned systems we currently use are valuable for logistics. I believe their capacity will improve over time, allowing them to carry even heavier loads,” he added.
The Vampire drone, developed by the Ukrainian company SkyFall, is a large hexacopter capable of lifting payloads of up to 15 kg (33 pounds) to heights of 400 meters. It can deploy various types of munitions—thermobaric, cumulative, and high-explosive—allowing it to target a range of Russian assets, including tanks and other armored vehicles.
Equipped with a thermal imager, the drone can operate effectively at night. Developers noted that the Vampire drone is difficult to detect and shoot down in the dark, as Russian forces would need thermal imaging sights or night vision devices to hit the hexacopter with small arms.
The price of each UAV starts at $10,000. It has a flight range of 10 km (6.2 miles) and has a communication range of 6 km (3.7 miles). The drone’s flight speed is up to 40 km/h with a full load and 80 km/h without one. It can fly for 37 minutes without a load and 23 minutes when carrying a 10 kg (22 pounds) payload.