RuAviation

As part of the 71st Russian Antarctic Expedition at Mirny Station, researchers conducted aerial monitoring of Antarctic terrain using the ZALA T-16 UAV. The aircraft was operated directly by pilots located in the Russian Federation, according to a statement released by ZALA Aero Group.

Flight operations were managed from the company’s flight control center in Izhevsk via a beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communications link. The geographic separation between the mission area and the control station was approximately 14,000 kilometers (about 8,700 miles). Despite this distance, the full command-and-control cycle—including command transmission, telemetry reception, and real-time video downlink—was maintained without latency or disruption.

Long-range remote control was enabled by a robust C2 (command and control) communications architecture optimized for high-latitude operations and environments with limited ground infrastructure. The link ensured continuous exchange of flight commands and aircraft parameters, as well as stable transmission of onboard video data without observable degradation in image quality.

The flight profile included aerial visual reconnaissance of ice conditions in the vicinity of Mirny Station. Particular emphasis was placed on detecting ice cracks and fractures that could pose hazards to overland expedition routes. Additional observation of penguin colonies was conducted as part of ongoing biological monitoring activities.

Mission data management and situational awareness were supported by the ZALA 4Z1x digital platform. Specialists in Izhevsk and Moscow accessed the live video feed and telemetry simultaneously. The platform provided synchronized visualization of flight parameters, onboard system status, and navigation data, with no signal loss or delay.

According to ZALA Aero Group, the successful execution of beyond-line-of-sight UAV operations in Antarctic conditions confirms the viability of deploying unmanned systems in regions where local ground control stations are difficult or impossible to establish. The results expand potential use cases for UAVs in scientific research, environmental monitoring, and search missions in remote areas with extreme climatic conditions.