A reconnaissance drone has washed ashore near Primorsko, while another drone-related object was found on the nearby beach area of Lozenets. The discoveries have prompted questions about the origin of the unmanned aircraft, with BIRD.BG claiming that the drone found near Primorsko is Russian-made.
BIRD.BG said footage from the beach was sufficient for its team to identify the aircraft as an Orlan-10 reconnaissance drone. The media outlet questioned whether Bulgarian authorities would respond to the discovery as quickly as they did to the Ukrainian-made drone that recently entered Bulgarian airspace near the border with Romania.
“The ‘reconnaissance object’ that surfaced near Primorsko, as is currently reported, is most likely a Russian drone ‘Orlan-10’,” BIRD.BG wrote, saying the type of aircraft was visible in the footage it received.
The outlet also questioned whether drones of different suspected origins were being identified with the same speed, while making a sarcastic reference to Bulgarian military officials. BIRD.BG’s post included additional commentary that was critical of the authorities.
Earlier, Bulgarian National Television reported that specialists from the Burgas Naval Base were examining an unmanned aerial vehicle that had been carried by the sea onto a beach in Primorsko. Following the inspection, the military established that the object was a reconnaissance drone.
Navy personnel also responded to a separate report concerning pieces of a drone discovered on the beach near the village of Lozenets. For the safety of tourists and maritime traffic, specialized Navy teams transported the recovered objects to naval bases in Varna and Burgas while following the required safety procedures.
The operations were carried out on orders from the Chief of Defense and under instructions from the Deputy Commander of the Navy.
There has so far been no official statement from the Defense Ministry regarding either of the two discoveries.
The latest incidents come about a week after another drone entered Bulgarian airspace and exploded around 100 meters inside Bulgarian territory near the border with Romania. Bulgarian authorities have described that aircraft as Ukrainian-made and said its wooden body and a faulty chip may have contributed to it being diverted from its intended course.
According to BIRD.BG, however, footage of that drone appears to show a Russian ZALA Z-20 rather than a Ukrainian-made aircraft. The outlet said it planned to publish further details about the identification.
BIRD.BG also stressed that distinguishing between the ZALA and Orlan systems is significant because they serve different purposes. According to the information provided by the outlet, the ZALA is a newer-generation system used for reconnaissance, precision target designation and coordination of unmanned munitions.
The ZALA aircraft described by BIRD.BG has a wingspan of about four meters and a maximum takeoff weight of 17-18 kilograms. It is launched using a pneumatic system and uses a parachute or air-cushion system for landing. The drone is also equipped with onboard computers using artificial intelligence algorithms for automatic target detection and prioritization.
The discovery near Primorsko therefore raises questions about the origin and purpose of the aircraft found along Bulgaria‘s Black Sea coast. Until the authorities issue an official identification, however, the claims concerning its Russian origin remain unconfirmed.