KAZAN, August 26. /TASS/. The Russian drone manufacturer Zala has unveiled its Geocosmos communications and navigation system at the DroneExpo exhibition in Kazan, according to a report by TASS.

As Zala explained, Geocosmos, which operates from the ground, enables drones to operate seamlessly within shared airspace alongside manned aircraft - even in the complete absence of satellite navigation. The system also integrates cellular communication and electronic warfare capabilities. Essentially, Geocosmos functions as a ground-based equivalent of Starlink, ensuring reliable unmanned aircraft operation despite active jamming or the total loss of traditional communication channels.

Geocosmos lays the technological groundwork for a broad spectrum of applications – from logistics to national security. While no other country has yet embarked on such a project, citing reliance on satellite systems, Russia positions itself to pioneer a land-based navigation revolution, Zala stated to TASS.

Beyond drone control, the Geocosmos system can collect meteorological and seismic data, monitor wind and precipitation, implement emergency response protocols, and support border security through acoustic sensors and video surveillance. These multifaceted capabilities are enabled by software-defined radio (SDR) technology, allowing a single station to perform various functions - navigation, cellular communication, electronic warfare - simply through software changes.

Additionally, the station features a "friend-or-foe" detection system, capable of identifying, classifying, and neutralizing unregistered or unauthorized drones.