Russia Develops Aerostat with Radio Module to Expand Communication System

The Russian state holding company Rostec has developed an aerostat to provide stable mobile communication.

This is stated in a press release.

The device was created by Rosel, a company within the holding, and is designed to solve communication problems in areas with unstable or no coverage.

Unlike mobile base stations, lifting the radio module into the air minimizes the impact of terrain on signal quality. The first prototype has already undergone operational testing in communication networks.

The balloon rises to a height of several hundred meters and is held in place by cables attached to a vehicle platform.

The radio module mounted on it, equipped with an omnidirectional antenna, provides mobile communication within a radius of up to 10 kilometers at speeds of up to 30 Mbps.

The tethered Rosel aerostat has an envelope volume of 240 cubic meters and is capable of lifting a payload of up to 45 kg to a height of up to 300 meters.

The system can operate continuously at altitude for up to one month. The radio module is powered via a composite cable-rope.

At the same time, in addition to civilian applications, such airships can also be used for military purposes — in particular, for relaying signals from unmanned aerial vehicles or providing communications for military units.

Earlier, in October 2025, it was reported that one of Russia’s chemical industry enterprises had announced a tender to purchase aerostats to protect its facilities from attacks by Ukrainian drones.