Drone Completes First-Ever Flight Between the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin in Russia
An unmanned aircraft flew 420 kilometers using the Geokosmos (Geocosmos) navigation and communications system.
Russia is rapidly advancing unmanned systems designed for a wide range of applications. One of the key areas of development is communications technology, with the goal of enabling drone operations that do not rely solely on satellite navigation.
A New Milestone for Russia
One of the country's most significant recent drone experiments has now been successfully completed in the Russian Far East. The unmanned aircraft performed a long-distance flight over the sea, traveling 420 kilometers between Mendeleyevo Airfield on Kunashir Island and the Pushisty Droneport on Sakhalin. The aircraft completed the route using the Geokosmos (Geocosmos) navigation and communications system. The achievement was announced during the Wings of Sakhalin international forum on unmanned systems across air, land and sea domains.
"The Geokosmos system developed by ZALA is a unified communications and navigation platform that complements satellite constellations. It maintains reliable communications even under electronic warfare conditions. For more than two and a half years, the system has demonstrated its effectiveness in supporting state border security across several Russian regions. At the forum, we demonstrated integrated use of Geokosmos to control robotic systems across all domains – including aerial drones, ground robotic platforms and maritime robotic systems," said Sergey Lyustarnov, deputy CEO of ZALA.
No Restrictions for Other Aircraft
The experimental flight took place within shared airspace that is also used by other civil aircraft. No restrictions were imposed on those operations. The journey lasted five hours, with the aircraft controlled by a ground operator throughout the mission. Along the entire route, the UAV maintained continuous communications with air traffic controllers through integration with the ERA-GLONASS system.
"No one in our country has previously completed flights over this distance under these operating conditions. This is a landmark achievement for unmanned aviation, and it was accomplished in the Sakhalin Region with the support of the regional government and at the initiative of Governor Valery Limarenko," said Konstantin Sukhorebrik, CEO of Aurora Airlines.
Scaling the Experience
According to the Sakhalin regional government's press service, once testing of the new technology is complete, it is expected to be deployed not only across the island region but also in other parts of Russia's Far East. Sakhalin has identified up to 75 operational drone use cases. UAVs are already used to monitor wildfires and river blockages, search for missing people, combat illegal dumping, protect salmon spawning grounds, and inspect roads, rooftops and pipelines.
The experimental flight between the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin represents the outcome of a broader national effort to expand regional deployment of unmanned systems. The first government programs began in 2023, focusing on ground infrastructure, flight route networks and research-and-production centers. In 2024, Russia launched its national Unmanned Aircraft Systems initiative.
Beyond Satellite Navigation
From the outset, developing alternative drone guidance and control technologies has remained a strategic priority, and Geokosmos is far from the only solution in this field. In February of this year, developers introduced the Modular Alternative Navigation System (MANS), which they say operates without satellite signals and is designed to control smaller unmanned aircraft. The platform is intended not only for the Russian market but also for deployment in South America, Africa and Southeast Asia.
It is now increasingly clear that alternative drone navigation and control systems have moved beyond the experimental stage. The next challenge will be how quickly they can enter commercial operation. Achieving that goal will require not only an effective infrastructure deployment strategy but also resolution of a range of regulatory and legal issues.
