KRASNOYARSK, January 15. /TASS/. Scientists at the Siberian State University of Sciences and Technologies will test in the open water their robot-drone, Director of the University’s Institute for Space Research and High Technologies Alexander Kuznetsov told TASS.

Work on the underwater robot continues under the University’s project "Geo-information systems. The Yenisei - the Arctic." The new unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) will be used to probe the Yenisei’s bed. The UUV will be used also to study sunken vessels, which remain in the river. Earlier, the scientists have completed testing the drone in a pool.

"This year, we shall have tests on the Yenisei," the director said, adding a company from Volgograd had invited scientists to have tests on the Volga River.

Earlier, the designers said the robot would be able to react to obstacles, distinguish between colors and in future it would work autonomously - using a system of its memory tags. It will be able to go 100 meters down in difficult climat conditions. According to the developers, Western underwater vehicles, which can work in severe conditions of the North, have different structures and cost about 2-3 million rubles ($30-40 thousand). The Krasnoyarsk underwater robot costs about 100-150 thousand rubles ($1,500-2,200).