Ukraine’s Buntar-3 Recon Drone Can Now Be Flown From Hundreds of Kilometers Away

Ukraine’s Buntar-3 reconnaissance drone has received a new remote control capability that allows operators to fly missions from virtually any secure location far behind the front line.

According to Militarnyi on July 21, citing Ukrainian developer Buntar Aerospace, the company unveiled the capability as part of its Buntar Copilot software platform.

The system allows the drone’s pilot and payload operator to connect to the aircraft over the internet after a forward team deploys the necessary equipment and launches the UAV.

Under the new operating concept, only a small technical crew is required near the launch site to set up an antenna, a Starlink terminal, and prepare the aircraft for takeoff. Once the drone is airborne, the team can leave the area, while flight control is transferred to operators located hundreds of kilometers away in the rear, Militarnyi reported.

The company said the software transmits multiple independent data streams, including live video feeds, telemetry, and flight logs, through the Buntar Copilot application. According to Militarnyi, the primary objective of the new capability is to reduce risks for highly trained drone operators by keeping them away from areas vulnerable to Russian strikes.

Buntar Aerospace has previously demonstrated the operational use of the Buntar-3 reconnaissance platform. In March, the drone was used to help adjust a Ukrainian missile strike on a Russian Shahed drone storage, preparation, and launch facility at the occupied Donetsk Airport.

The announcement follows another recent Ukrainian drone development. Earlier, Militarnyi reported that the Blyskavka-2 strike drone had received an upgraded airframe, extended flight endurance, and a Norda-8 terminal-guidance system that allows operators to designate a target before the drone completes its attack autonomously.

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