Moscow Announces First International Autonomous Flight
Russia is preparing to launch its first international unmanned flight to Belarus in early 2026, marking a significant step toward the country’s emerging autonomous aviation ecosystem.
Moving Toward Cross‑Border Autonomous Aviation
According to Alexey Raykevich, CEO of GLONASS JSC, the first cross‑border autonomous flight between Russia and Belarus is planned for the first quarter of 2026. Raykevich shared the update with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin during the Transport Russia 2025 forum.
He explained that GLONASS, together with the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, is building a unified identification system for unmanned vehicles operating on land, water, and in the air. The platform will be based on the ERA‑GLONASS infrastructure and has already been tested across 30 regions.
A National Push Toward Full Autonomy
Prime Minister Mishustin emphasized that the initiative brings Russia closer to a seamless, sovereign ecosystem for managing autonomous transport.
He highlighted the importance of achieving full import substitution in software and digital infrastructure to ensure long‑term technological independence. Earlier, at the Digital Solutions IT Forum, Mishustin noted that Russia remains the only country where commercial unmanned transport operations are legally permitted.
He added that building a secure communications framework and advancing domestic software will be key to scaling autonomous technologies nationwide.
