Aircraft & UAVs

Orlan-10

The Orlan-10 is a Russian medium-range unmanned aircraft built by Special Technology Centre for reconnaissance, artillery spotting, electronic warfare, and data-relay missions. In the Russia-Ukraine War it became one of Russia's most important tactical UAVs, helping locate Ukrainian units and pass targeting data to artillery, missile, and loitering-munition crews.

Russia-Ukraine WarRussia

Conflict side: Russia
Built by: Special Technology Centre
Built in: Russia

Orlan-10, Medium-range reconnaissance and electronic-warfare UAV, Aircraft & UAVs

Profile

Type: Medium-range reconnaissance and electronic-warfare UAV
Conflict side: Russia
Origin: Russia
Service note: Introduced in 2010; heavily used during the Russia-Ukraine War

UAV reconnaissanceelectronic warfare

Service History

In service: Russian service; documented battlefield use in Ukraine
Used by: Russian Armed Forces
Wars: Russia-Ukraine War

Production History

Designer: Special Technology Centre
Designed: Introduced in 2010
Built by: Special Technology Centre
Built in: Russia
Unit cost: Approximately $87,000-120,000 per system, according to RUSI
Produced: 2010s-present
Variants: Orlan-10, Orlan-10E export variant, Mission payload configurations for ISR, EW, SIGINT/ELINT, and data relay

Specifications

Role: Medium-range multipurpose UAV for reconnaissance, EW, and data relay
Range: 150 km command-link range
Endurance: 16 hours
Speed: 110 km/h
Maximum altitude: 5,000 m
Wingspan: 3.1 m
Payloads: Electro-optical, infrared, thermal, LIDAR, SIGINT, ELINT, EW, and data-relay payloads

Conflict Usage

Russia-Ukraine War: Side: Russia
Russian forces use Orlan-10s in Ukraine as ISR and artillery-spotting UAVs, relaying Ukrainian positions for artillery, missile, and loitering-munition strikes.

Orlan-10 Images

Orlan-10, Medium-range reconnaissance and electronic-warfare UAV, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1

Orlan-10, Medium-range reconnaissance and electronic-warfare UAV, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2

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Sources

The Orlan Complex: Tracking the Supply Chains of Russia's Most Successful UAVPublisher: Royal United Services Institute | Note: Supports STC manufacturer background, payload types, unit-cost estimate, and Russia-Ukraine War operational context for Russian Orlan-10 use. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 Russia Struggling To Integrate Its Most Effective Unmanned SystemPublisher: U.S. Army T2COM G2 Operational Environment Enterprise | Note: Directly supports Russia-Ukraine War use of Orlan-10s in Russia's reconnaissance complex and artillery targeting workflow. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 ORLAN-10 UAS - ThreatMinutesPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: Supports WEG-derived performance figures, mission grouping, command vehicle context, and 2010 introduction date. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 File:Orlan-10 (2).jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance source for the primary Orlan-10 image; file page attributes the photo to Mil.ru under CC BY 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 File:Orlan-10 on the launch catapult.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance source for the gallery launch-catapult photo; file page attributes the photo to Mil.ru under CC BY 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-06-20