What was the An-30 mainly used for?

Short answer

The An-30 was designed in the Soviet Union for aerial cartography. In its usual aerial photography role, it carried four or five cameras on board, three of them mounted vertically and intended for mapping tasks.

Published: November 2, 2026 · Updated: November 2, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Antonov An-26 de la Fuerza Aérea Rumana, Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, 2023Colin Cooke Photo (CC BY SA), vía commons

A mapping aircraft

The An-30 was developed in the Soviet Union for a specific purpose: aerial cartography. In its normal aerial photography mission it carried four or five cameras, three of which were mounted vertically for mapping work.

Glazed nose and hump

The aircraft's nose section is extensively glazed. The cockpit was raised 41 cm relative to the An-24's, giving the aircraft its other distinctive feature, a hump housing the cabin.

From the An-24FK to the series

The An-24FK made its first flight on 21 August 1967. Production began in 1971 at the Antonov factory. The An-26 used most of the An-24's airframe, with high-mounted cantilever wings carrying two Ivchenko AI-24 turboprops. That aircraft incorporated military equipment such as folding canvas seats for paratroopers, a sliding overhead hoist, bulged observation windows and static-line anchor cables for parachutes.