Russia Deploys Susanin Optical Navigation on Long-Range Drones
Russia is equipping Geran-4 and Geran-5 turbojet drones with Susanin optical navigation to bypass Ukrainian radio and satellite jamming.
The Federal Government of Russia has begun equipping its Geran-4 and Geran-5 K5 long-range turbojet drones with an optical navigation system known as Susanin. This technology allows drones to navigate by comparing live downward-facing camera feeds of the terrain against pre-saved imagery, enabling them to maintain course without relying on radio or satellite signals that are susceptible to jamming.
The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine identified the device, noting that these turbojet drones fly at speeds of 280 mph or faster, which complicates interception efforts. The Susanin system functions similarly to the Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation used in Tomahawk missiles and the Otblesk-U system in Kh-101 cruise missiles, but it is integrated into drones costing between $50,000 and $115,000.
While the system is limited to static, pre-programmed targets and can be hindered by poor weather conditions, it supports a broader Russian strategy of launching mass drone attacks to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.
