The Imperial Eagle has landed

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Developed by the city-based Aeronautical Development Establishment, the 2.3 kg light-weight, high-endurance UAV has created a flutter in the defence circle. Officials have already made a detailed presentation to the high-profile NSG

The next big thing in the Indian army — the lightweight, high-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) called Imperial Eagle — has its roots in Bangalore. Developed by city-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a unit of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Imperial Eagle will provide our soldiers with an eye in the sky at a time when UAVs are being hailed the stars in major operations, including in Iraq and Afghanistan.


As many as 10 scientists have been working on the project at ADE for the last one year.

Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, V S Chandrasekhar, director and programme director (MICAV) of ADE, said, “IE is a completely indigenous product except for its thermal camera. In fact, the software used in the camera has been developed in Bangalore and can function even during night by providing footage of the enemy. This mini UAV can be used for surveillance along the border and also for internal security. It is especially useful in places where it is challenging for soldiers to keep a vigil on the enemy.”

In keeping with its name, the Imperial Eagle UAV is equipped with hunter’s eye that can capture the enemy position day and night, irrespective of the weather. The five-feet long UAV weighing just 2.3 kg can capture the image of anything within a 10-km radius through its high definition infrared-enabled camera and transmit images continuously for almost an hour to the ground station. With the fixed wings measuring 1,600 mm, the UAV can fly at 90 km per hour.

The Imperial Eagle has already been successfully tested at Pathankot, the police academy in Hyderabad, Indian Army’s Northern Command in Jammu and Kashmir, and on the outskirts of Bangalore. In the coming months, the Imperial Eagle will be tested over the terrain of Chhattisgarh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Autonomous functioning
“The major advantage of the vehicle,” said Chandrasekhar, “is that it functions on autopilot.” Its orientation can be controlled using dedicated real-time operating system (RTOS).

Further, the UAV can be tracked using Automatic Gain Control- or GPS-based systems. Patrolling across the target area, the UAV will send images day and night. Zooming in over the enemy area, the UAV can carry a payload of about 250 gms and has an accuracy of 1 degree.

Its unique features have already caught the attention of several premier institutions and paramilitary wings. National Security Guard (NSG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), The National Institute of Disaster Management and home department of several states have shown interest in procuring the vehicle. ADE’s senior officers have already made a detailed presentation to NSG officials.

“We hope these agencies will buy the vehicle,” Chandrasekhar added.

The ADE had earlier launched Nishant, a multimission UAV which can be used for surveillance in the battlefield, target tracking and localisation.
Nishant weighed around 375 kg with a length of 4.63m and is capable of flying at a speed of 125 to 150 km per hour.

This apart, ADE had also developed Rustom 1, yet another UAV which is part of the Indian Army. Like Imperial Eagle, Rustom too can perform day and night and can take off on conventional runways with the help of an external runway.

The department is also planning to spend Rs 40-50 crore on developing Rustom-2.

What’s in a name?

Even though weapons and defence vehicles in India are often given Sanskrit names, Imperial Eagle is perhaps the first to have an English one. “This UAV functions like an eagle and targets specific ground areas by flying at greater heights. The word Imperial indicates royalty,” Chandrasekhar explained.

Tech chart

Wing span : 1600mm
Length : 1200 mm
All up weight : 2.3 kg
Range : 10 km
Endurance : 60 minutes
Speed : 40-90 km/hr
Altitude : 30-300 m AGL
Ceiling : 14,000 ft from MSL
Propulsion : BLDC Motor
Launch : Hand-launched
Recovery : Soft belly landing
Navigation : Fully autonomous

The Imperial Eagle has landed

 

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