Indian UAV Programs | News & Discussions
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India is finally looking to enter the era of armed drones
Ever since a weaponized Chinese CH-3 Drone crashed in Nigeria and Pakistan unveiled an 'indigenous' version of the same drone called Burraq, there is a newfound urgency in India to develop armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). As such, work on weaponizing the Rustom-I medium altitude long endurance UAV is being hastened and first weapon trials will take place this year. The Rustom-I, developed by DRDO's Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) will initially be armed with the HELINA anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) and subsequently with smaller munitions specifically developed for UAV carriage.
Armed UAV development in India has been carried out at a rather slow pace till date owing at least partly to American concerns about the same. These concerns were likely taken into account because key domestic UAV development programmes till recently had been somewhat dependent on American sources for key components such as actuators. However the recent United States (US) State Department's withdrawal of export licenses on MTCR grounds for some seven types of MOOG actuators that feature in ADE's flagship Rustom-II MALE UAV means that India need no longer be so concerned about what America thinks. As of now, indigenously developed replacement actuators have completed electro-magnetic interference/compatibility tests etc and high speed taxi-trials (HSTT) of the Rustom-II have re-commenced. These taxi-trials will go up to a speed of 55 knots, just 10 knots shy of take-off speed. First flight will happen in June 2015 after a delay of more than a year on account of MOOG's non-supply. Currently, a move to indigenize all critical components for domestically developed UAVs is also underway.
Now though Rustom-II is essentially a C4ISR platform, it too could potentially feature weapons in the future. But for that, the Rustom-I has to become a pathfinder for armed UAV development in India. At the moment, only some weapon carrying taxi-trials have been done with the Rustom-I. The image enclosed below (Pic) depicts the same.
Rustom-I taxiing with two HELINAs underwing. Courtesy DRDO
Meanwhile the manned Light Canard Research Aircraft (LCRA) on which the Rustom-I's planform is based, was used successfully to demonstrate automatic take-off and landing capability (ATOL) just last week. After some more trials, the same capability will be ported to an actual Rustom-I. Once successfully completed, ATOL will take care of one of the prime demands the Indian Army (IA) has made with respect to the Rustom-I's capability set. ATOL after all reduces the occurrence of accidents at airfields and is also a facilitator of true day/night capability. It is likely that the capability growth of the Rustom-I with respect to handling, better recon payloads (also under development) and weaponization will lead to the IA dropping its currently lukewarm approach to the drone.
Nevertheless, even as the IA demands more, the Indian Navy (IN) could well become the first customer of the Rustom-I. In recent months the Rustom-I's maritime recon capabilities have been demonstrated to the IN off the coast of Tamil Nadu. Rustom-I, given its size is far more difficult for targets like illegal fishing trawlers to spot than manned aircraft which usually carry out coastal surveillance duties. Moreover Rustom-I flights are likely to prove cheaper as well.
The Rustom-II however already has some 'firmish' orders on hand. The military across all three services has projected an initial requirement for 75 units. During Aero India 2015, a memorandum of understanding between DRDO, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) was signed for the productionization of the Rustom-II. HAL will be the lead integrator for the Rustom-II with parts built by private players and BEL will supply the ground control systems for the same. Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Limited (TAAL) incidentally has built the fuselage of existing Rustom-II prototypes. The all critical datalinks for the Rustom-II have been developed by DRDO's Defence Electronics Application Laboratory, Dehradun. In the future the Rustom-II will feature indigenous engines in the 165-210 HP class currently being developed by DRDO's Vehicles Research and Development Establishment in partnership with Tech Mahindra. Two flying prototypes of each service version (i.e Army, Navy, Air force) will be part of the Rustom-II development program.
Indian UAV programmes need to be speeded up. For that it is important that the proposed aeronautical test range in Karnataka be set up without any more delay. This would be crucial for not just developing UAVs armed with kinetic munitions but also for honing airborne unmanned electronic attack capability.
Saurav Jha's Blog : India is finally looking to enter the era of armed drones
Ever since a weaponized Chinese CH-3 Drone crashed in Nigeria and Pakistan unveiled an 'indigenous' version of the same drone called Burraq, there is a newfound urgency in India to develop armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). As such, work on weaponizing the Rustom-I medium altitude long endurance UAV is being hastened and first weapon trials will take place this year. The Rustom-I, developed by DRDO's Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) will initially be armed with the HELINA anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) and subsequently with smaller munitions specifically developed for UAV carriage.
Armed UAV development in India has been carried out at a rather slow pace till date owing at least partly to American concerns about the same. These concerns were likely taken into account because key domestic UAV development programmes till recently had been somewhat dependent on American sources for key components such as actuators. However the recent United States (US) State Department's withdrawal of export licenses on MTCR grounds for some seven types of MOOG actuators that feature in ADE's flagship Rustom-II MALE UAV means that India need no longer be so concerned about what America thinks. As of now, indigenously developed replacement actuators have completed electro-magnetic interference/compatibility tests etc and high speed taxi-trials (HSTT) of the Rustom-II have re-commenced. These taxi-trials will go up to a speed of 55 knots, just 10 knots shy of take-off speed. First flight will happen in June 2015 after a delay of more than a year on account of MOOG's non-supply. Currently, a move to indigenize all critical components for domestically developed UAVs is also underway.
Now though Rustom-II is essentially a C4ISR platform, it too could potentially feature weapons in the future. But for that, the Rustom-I has to become a pathfinder for armed UAV development in India. At the moment, only some weapon carrying taxi-trials have been done with the Rustom-I. The image enclosed below (Pic) depicts the same.
Rustom-I taxiing with two HELINAs underwing. Courtesy DRDO
Meanwhile the manned Light Canard Research Aircraft (LCRA) on which the Rustom-I's planform is based, was used successfully to demonstrate automatic take-off and landing capability (ATOL) just last week. After some more trials, the same capability will be ported to an actual Rustom-I. Once successfully completed, ATOL will take care of one of the prime demands the Indian Army (IA) has made with respect to the Rustom-I's capability set. ATOL after all reduces the occurrence of accidents at airfields and is also a facilitator of true day/night capability. It is likely that the capability growth of the Rustom-I with respect to handling, better recon payloads (also under development) and weaponization will lead to the IA dropping its currently lukewarm approach to the drone.
Nevertheless, even as the IA demands more, the Indian Navy (IN) could well become the first customer of the Rustom-I. In recent months the Rustom-I's maritime recon capabilities have been demonstrated to the IN off the coast of Tamil Nadu. Rustom-I, given its size is far more difficult for targets like illegal fishing trawlers to spot than manned aircraft which usually carry out coastal surveillance duties. Moreover Rustom-I flights are likely to prove cheaper as well.
The Rustom-II however already has some 'firmish' orders on hand. The military across all three services has projected an initial requirement for 75 units. During Aero India 2015, a memorandum of understanding between DRDO, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) was signed for the productionization of the Rustom-II. HAL will be the lead integrator for the Rustom-II with parts built by private players and BEL will supply the ground control systems for the same. Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Limited (TAAL) incidentally has built the fuselage of existing Rustom-II prototypes. The all critical datalinks for the Rustom-II have been developed by DRDO's Defence Electronics Application Laboratory, Dehradun. In the future the Rustom-II will feature indigenous engines in the 165-210 HP class currently being developed by DRDO's Vehicles Research and Development Establishment in partnership with Tech Mahindra. Two flying prototypes of each service version (i.e Army, Navy, Air force) will be part of the Rustom-II development program.
Indian UAV programmes need to be speeded up. For that it is important that the proposed aeronautical test range in Karnataka be set up without any more delay. This would be crucial for not just developing UAVs armed with kinetic munitions but also for honing airborne unmanned electronic attack capability.
Saurav Jha's Blog : India is finally looking to enter the era of armed drones
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Still on the runway
It's old images from the taxi trials, just different quality image and angle. The flight should happen any time now.
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IIT-Kanpur made UAV called P1
(Photo courtesy: IIT-Kanpur)
The P1 measures 2.82 metres and has a wingspan of 3.3m. It can stay up in the air for 10 hours straight.
Researchers at IIT-Kanpur have developed India’s first low-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that could be used for anything from patrolling the border to traffic and crowd monitoring.
The aircraft, called P1, is commanded by a computer pilot on the ground. It can fly for more than 10 hours continuously at an altitude of up to 5,000ft and has a wide operating radius of 150km.
“We anticipate both civilian and military applications. The system could even carry environmental sensors like Chromium sensors on it and fly over river Ganges to measure the pollution levels,” co-principal investigator, Dr. Deepu Philip told HT.
The UAV had its first field trial on August 14 and can be used for highway patrolling, traffic and crowd monitoring (in case of riots) or crop and pollution surveillance. The armed forces are also keen to test the aircraft for its use.
The project started in January 2014 and was jointly funded by IIT Kanpur and Prabhu Goel foundation. “The entire system was designed using a systems engineering approach, to meet the desired specifications and target the need of Low Altitude Long Endurance (LALE). During the initial test flights at IIT Kanpur air strip, we were able to reach altitude of 1,000 feet,” Philip told HT.
IIT Kanpur and Aurora Integrated Systems of Bangalore collaborated in testing and manufacturing of the aircraft. The UAV is a product of synergy between start-up firms and academic institutions that promotes an entrepreneurial ecosystem.
(Photo courtesy: IIT-Kanpur)
The P1 measures 2.82 metres and has a wingspan of 3.3m. It can stay up in the air for 10 hours straight.
Researchers at IIT-Kanpur have developed India’s first low-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that could be used for anything from patrolling the border to traffic and crowd monitoring.
The aircraft, called P1, is commanded by a computer pilot on the ground. It can fly for more than 10 hours continuously at an altitude of up to 5,000ft and has a wide operating radius of 150km.
“We anticipate both civilian and military applications. The system could even carry environmental sensors like Chromium sensors on it and fly over river Ganges to measure the pollution levels,” co-principal investigator, Dr. Deepu Philip told HT.
The UAV had its first field trial on August 14 and can be used for highway patrolling, traffic and crowd monitoring (in case of riots) or crop and pollution surveillance. The armed forces are also keen to test the aircraft for its use.
The project started in January 2014 and was jointly funded by IIT Kanpur and Prabhu Goel foundation. “The entire system was designed using a systems engineering approach, to meet the desired specifications and target the need of Low Altitude Long Endurance (LALE). During the initial test flights at IIT Kanpur air strip, we were able to reach altitude of 1,000 feet,” Philip told HT.
IIT Kanpur and Aurora Integrated Systems of Bangalore collaborated in testing and manufacturing of the aircraft. The UAV is a product of synergy between start-up firms and academic institutions that promotes an entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Water Car Engineer
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Rustom 2
Rustom 1
Prototype of None and Main Landing Gear Of DRDO's Rustom 2 supplied by Hemkund Precision Engineering Pvt Ltd.
Hemkund | Precision Engineering, Precise Delivery
kurup
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DAWON ---- by MSRIT
Student Tech: UAV files out of college lab; gets rave reviews in US
(Above) Dawon, the custom-made UAV built by MSRIT students.
Below) The team with US naval escort James Kerry (4th from left) during the UAV contest held at the Patuxent River Naval Airbase, Maryland in US.
By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service
Bangalore: Dawon, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) named after mythological tiger of goddess Durga, designed by city-based M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT) students, has won rave reviews at an international event held in the United States recently. The seven-member team from MSRIT, Edhitha, competed with 50 universities from 20 countries during the event jointly organised by the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and the US Navy at the Patuxent River Naval Airbase, Maryland in US.
In an interaction with Express on Monday, M Akash, a 7th semester Mechanical Engineering student of the college said that the competition was backed by aerospace giants. "It was an eye-opener for the Bangalore team as representatives from Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman were supporting the event. We secured 10th place in journal presentation, seventh in oral flight readiness review and 25th position in executing the mission. The jury appreciated the UAV's unique design and in-house fabrication," Akash said.
The competition demanded students to develop a UAV capable of autonomous GPS navigation, real time imagery system relaying information of strategic importance in intelligence and reconnaissance mission. In addition to the above requirement the UAV must also be equipped with a package drop mechanism for aerial drop task and Infrared imagery system for night vision. The Edhitha team was led by Vishnu B N.
"The UAV Dawon flew for 30 minutes and even undertook digital image processing mission. It also dropped an egg-shaped canister on an assigned target. The entire airframe, fabrication and electronics of the UAV costed us Rs 6 lakh," Akash said.
Dawon with a wingspan of 3 meter, 2.5 meter length, 90-minute endurance and one liter fuel-carrying capacity is currently kept at the college lab. The students are also exploring the opportunities whether the UAV can be put to military or civil use. "We are looking at the regulations controlling the UAVs in India. Having exhibited the capabilities of the UAV, we are keen to see it put to good use," Akash said.
Copyright@The New Indian Express
Tarmak007 -- A bold blog on Indian defence: Student Tech: UAV files out of college lab; gets rave reviews in US
Student Tech: UAV files out of college lab; gets rave reviews in US
(Above) Dawon, the custom-made UAV built by MSRIT students.
Below) The team with US naval escort James Kerry (4th from left) during the UAV contest held at the Patuxent River Naval Airbase, Maryland in US.
By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service
Bangalore: Dawon, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) named after mythological tiger of goddess Durga, designed by city-based M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT) students, has won rave reviews at an international event held in the United States recently. The seven-member team from MSRIT, Edhitha, competed with 50 universities from 20 countries during the event jointly organised by the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and the US Navy at the Patuxent River Naval Airbase, Maryland in US.
In an interaction with Express on Monday, M Akash, a 7th semester Mechanical Engineering student of the college said that the competition was backed by aerospace giants. "It was an eye-opener for the Bangalore team as representatives from Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman were supporting the event. We secured 10th place in journal presentation, seventh in oral flight readiness review and 25th position in executing the mission. The jury appreciated the UAV's unique design and in-house fabrication," Akash said.
The competition demanded students to develop a UAV capable of autonomous GPS navigation, real time imagery system relaying information of strategic importance in intelligence and reconnaissance mission. In addition to the above requirement the UAV must also be equipped with a package drop mechanism for aerial drop task and Infrared imagery system for night vision. The Edhitha team was led by Vishnu B N.
"The UAV Dawon flew for 30 minutes and even undertook digital image processing mission. It also dropped an egg-shaped canister on an assigned target. The entire airframe, fabrication and electronics of the UAV costed us Rs 6 lakh," Akash said.
Dawon with a wingspan of 3 meter, 2.5 meter length, 90-minute endurance and one liter fuel-carrying capacity is currently kept at the college lab. The students are also exploring the opportunities whether the UAV can be put to military or civil use. "We are looking at the regulations controlling the UAVs in India. Having exhibited the capabilities of the UAV, we are keen to see it put to good use," Akash said.
Copyright@The New Indian Express
Tarmak007 -- A bold blog on Indian defence: Student Tech: UAV files out of college lab; gets rave reviews in US
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