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CUST, PSB, Federal UAS Center sign unmanned aerial vehicle technology agreement

The agreement signing took place at an extended meeting of the CUST Board

MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/. Bank PSB, the Center for Unmanned Systems and Technologies (CUST), and Russia’s Federal Center for Unmanned Aerial Systems (FC UAS) have signed a cooperation agreement to develop unmanned systems for civil and dual use, CUST sources told TASS.

The agreement signing took place at an extended meeting of the CUST Board.

"The development of domestic innovative projects in the field of special technologies is an important part of PSB's work and our contribution to supporting the country's sovereignty. Within the agreement framework, we will create new flexible mechanisms for assessing the economic viability, selecting, and prompt financing of promising projects important to national security, ensuring conditions for their rapid implementation and scaling," said PSB First Deputy Chairman Oleg Barybin.

CUST Board Chairman Andrey Bezrukov said for his part that the Center would assume key responsibility for the evaluation and validation of technologies. "We will provide advice on the selection of optimal solutions and evaluate them in accordance with requirements. Thus, we are creating a reliable environment for the application of technologies, combining the practical experience of developers with the tasks of their effective implementation," he said.

According to FC UAS General Director Maxim Avdeyev, the civilian market for unmanned aerial systems is in its early stages of development. The use of drones is still mostly experimental, but the significant growth potential of the industry is undeniable.

"Jointly with the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade and branch ministries, we have identified promising markets for drone use with high economic efficiency. Efforts are currently being made to stimulate the entry of UAS manufacturers and operators into these markets," the official added.

CUST residents are the developers of a considerable part of advanced technology solutions applied in the special military operation zone this year, CUST Supervisory Board Secretary Alexander Sidyakin said earlier. "I would like to note that this year, the CUST residents have developed a considerable part of advanced solutions and technologies used in the special military operation zone and presented at the Zapad exercises," he said at an extended meeting of the CUST board.

The Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization Center for Unmanned Systems and Technologies (ANO CUST) was established in February 2024 through a partnership between PJSC Bank PSB and the Non-Commercial Foundation for the Support of Patriotic Initiatives "Nasha Pravda" (Our Truth). The initiative received support from the Russian Presidential Staff, State Duma, Federation Council, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Moscow authorities, and United Russia party.

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