• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Excelitas Qioptiq banner

BATTLESPACE Updates

   +44 (0)77689 54766
   

  • Home
  • Features
  • News Updates
  • Defence Engage
  • Company Directory
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media Pack 2023

INDIA’S INDIGENOUS UAV READY FOR TRIALS

November 13, 2009 by

INDIA’S INDIGENOUS UAV READY FOR TRIALS
By Bulbul Singh

12 Nov 09. India’s indigenous Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE)UAV, Rustam is ready for technical trials this month. Rustam is one of variety of indigenous UAV’s being developed for the Indian defence forces, thus reducing dependence on imported UAVs. Israel has helped
in this project.

Developed by India’s DRDO defence research agency, Rustam will be produced in a joint partnership project with a domestic defence agency. Talks for finding an Indian private sector defence partner are in the final stages, said scientists of DRDO.

Talks are being held with Tata Group, Larsen & Toubro and Godrej & Boyce, for producing the Rustam. Once the domestic company is selected, DRDO will enter into a joint production project.

Rustam will be equipped for C4I operations, data relay and scientific and meteorological operations. It will be able to operate in all climates, day or night, have autonomous takeoff and landing from a runway, be capable of carrying guided weapons, have a payload capacity of 250-500 kilograms and have a low radar and acoustic signature.

Sources in DRDO said that scientists from Israel had helped engineers from the Aeronautical Developmental Establishment, DRDO’s Bangalore-based UAV laboratory, to build Rustam.

Rustam will be able to remain aloft for more than 24 hours and have a range of 300 kilometers and a maximum altitude of 35,000 feet. It will be able to use satellite links to transmit data, thereby extending its surveillance range beyond 1,000 kilometers.

The 1,100-kilogram UAV also will be equipped with a maritime patrol radar and electro-optic sensors from Israel with an engine still to be determined. The electronic warfare and communication system will be indigenous.

DRDO is also developing a dedicated facility for testing UAV technologies in the southern state of Karnataka which will also
test micro, long-range and rotary UAV designs.

In addition to indigenous UAVs, the Indian Army plans to procure a variety of UAVs, including micro and nano-UAVs for short-range ISR and laser designation capabilities. The Indian Army also plans to acquire weaponised UAVs which can be armed with precision missiles which will be deployed in Jammu and Kashmir where Indian defence forces are fighting Muslim Terrorists operating from inside Pakistan.

While Rustam is likely to be ready for induction within another five years, the Indian Army is also on a global hunt for buying unspecified numbers of HALE UAVs which will be used to provide long-range surveillance with long endurance and loiter time over targets.

In addition, a procurement process is also underway for buying micro UAVs.

The Indian Navy also plans to buy around 12 rotary wing UAVs from the overseas.

The Heron UAV being used by the Indian Navy is being upgraded by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to Heron TP level, a long range weapon-carrying unmanned aircraft with a large payload and a wingspan of about 85 feet. It is about four times bigger than Heron I and has a bigger turboprop and has an endurance of up to 42,000 feet and carry a payload of 1300 pounds

The Indian Air Force is currently using over 120 Israeli UAVs including Searcher-I, Searcher-II and Heron since 2000 for gathering intelligence by use of EO/IR and SAR radar.

Primary Sidebar

Advertisers

  • qioptiq.com
  • Exensor
  • TCI
  • Visit the Oxley website
  • Visit the Viasat website
  • Blighter
  • SPECTRA
  • Britbots logo
  • Faun Trackway
  • Systematic
  • CISION logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • businesswire logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • ssafa logo
  • Atkins
  • IEE
  • EXFOR logo
  • KME logo
  • DSEi
  • sibylline logo
  • Team Thunder logo
  • Commando Spirit - Blended Scoth Whisy
  • Comtech logo
Hilux Military Raceday Novemeber 2023 Chepstow

Contact Us

BATTLESPACE Publications
Old Charlock
Abthorpe Road
Silverstone
Towcester NN12 8TW

+44 (0)77689 54766

BATTLESPACE Technologies

An international defence electronics news service providing our readers with up to date developments in the defence electronics industry.

Recent News

  • EXHIBITIONS AND CONFERENCES

    January 27, 2023
    Read more
  • VETERANS UPDATE

    January 27, 2023
    Read more
  • MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE

    January 27, 2023
    Read more

Copyright BATTLESPACE Publications © 2002–2023.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If you continue to use the website, we'll assume you're ok with this.   Read More  Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT