The work relates to mining, in particular to machines used in mining. The article is devoted to the improvement of rotary type drilling machines and methods for investigating the effectiveness of drilling machines. The research complex is described in detail - a stationary stand for the study of rotary drilling, for the study of hydraulic-driven drilling machines. The research complex is made on the basis of a commercially available drilling machine “UBG.00” and allows you to carry out studies of rotary-type drilling machines used in geological exploration, mining, drilling technological wells and experimental drilling machines with adaptation properties. The stand allows, within the limits of regulation, to change drilling modes, to investigate the effect on the process of adaptation of the strength of the drilled rock, blunting of the cutting tool, to investigate power and dynamic characteristics. Adaptation is performed by redistributing the supplied power between the torque and the feed force. The description of the stand design is given, the technical characteristics of a hydraulic-driven drilling machine are given. The limitations adopted during experimental studies, taking into account the characteristics of the hydraulic drive, are formulated. It is shown that in an experimental adaptive drilling machine, the throttle elements of the hydraulic drive have external control and are programmatically controlled to change drilling modes and control methods. External control is performed by a programmable controller and allows drilling in various modes: “free feed”, “forced feed”, “drilling at constant speed”, “adaptive drilling” and others.