On 16 July 2026, as part of the business programme of the All-Russian Field Day (Altai Krai), the National Autonomous Systems Association and the Volga Region State Zonal Machine Testing Station signed an agreement on interaction and cooperation.
The document was signed by Anna Manakhova, Director of the NAS Association, and Andrey Bronnikov, Director of the Volga Region Machine Testing Station.
The signing took place at the country's largest agro-industrial exhibition, which underlines the strategic importance of this cooperation for the development of unmanned technologies in Russian agriculture.
SUBJECT AND AIMS OF THE AGREEMENT
The subject of the agreement is interaction between the parties to develop unmanned aviation and the autonomous systems industry in agriculture.
The aim of the cooperation is to help organise activities for introducing unmanned aircraft systems and autonomous technologies into the agro-industrial sector, and to shape a consolidated position of the professional community on the industry's key development issues.
MAIN AREAS OF INTERACTION
Under the agreement, the parties have agreed on the following forms of cooperation:
On the part of the Volga Region Machine Testing Station:
🔹 Involving representatives of the NAS Association in events that concern unmanned aviation and the autonomous systems industry
🔹 Organising working meetings to discuss current issues in the development of unmanned aviation
🔹 Exchanging information and expert positions on relevant matters
On the part of the NAS Association:
🔹 Informing the Volga Region Machine Testing Station about the work of the Association and its members, and about the problems faced by Russian companies in unmanned aviation and autonomous systems
🔹 Submitting proposals to improve the regulation of unmanned systems in agriculture
🔹 Sending proposals for a programme of joint events
🔹 Inviting representatives of the Volga Region Machine Testing Station to the Association's events: general meetings, Board meetings, expert councils, conferences and other formats of professional interaction
IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS
The parties will interact through:
✅ Exchange of official documents in paper and electronic form
✅ Joint meetings, working groups and expert consultations
✅ Participation of the parties' representatives in relevant events — conferences, seminars, exhibitions
✅ Use of electronic means of communication
The parties will appoint persons responsible for the interaction and share their details within a month of signing the agreement.
JOINT EVENTS AND FINAL DOCUMENTS
The parties have agreed to review progress under the agreement regularly, at least once a year, and to set plans for the next period.
The parties may involve each other in developing the concepts of events and in preparing final documents.
Final documents prepared as part of bilateral events are subject to approval by both parties before they are adopted or published.
TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT
The agreement enters into force on the day of signing and remains valid for five years.
Its provisions constitute declarations of intent to interact and cooperate and do not entail any economic, financial or property obligations.
The parties ensure the protection of personal data and other confidential information obtained in the course of their interaction, in accordance with the applicable legislation of the Russian Federation.
If neither party announces termination three months before the expiry date, the agreement is considered extended for a further five years.
WHY THE AGREEMENT MATTERS
The agreement between the NAS Association and the Volga Region Machine Testing Station opens up new opportunities for the systemic development of unmanned and autonomous technologies in the agro-industrial sector.
The Volga Region State Zonal Machine Testing Station is a leading organisation within the network of machine testing stations of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture and carries out official testing of agricultural machinery in the Volga region. Its expertise and technical facilities are crucial for putting innovative technologies into agricultural practice.
Cooperation with the Volga Region Machine Testing Station will allow the NAS Association to build a more effective dialogue with government bodies on improving the regulatory framework, to shape industry standards and to help integrate unmanned technologies into the operational processes of Russian agriculture.