The Indian UAS Market is Heating Up

The Indian UAS Market is Heating Up

RQ-11 Raven כטכ"מ

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AeroVironment,ד RQ-11 Raven UAV
AeroVironment’s RQ-11 Raven UAV

The Indian market for UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) is heating up – AeroVironment’s Raven will be manufactured in India

Raven
Raven

According to AeroVironment’ website, the Raven has a wingspan of just 1.4 meters (4.5 feet) and a weight of 1.9 kilos (4.2 pounds).

India and the US are set to announce joint manufacturing of the Raven unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in Bengaluru (Bengalore) from later this year, giving New Delhi a slice of the $3 billion order book for the world’s most advanced hand-launched drone.

According to the company, and according to the Hindustan Times, under the terms of the deal, the Americans will end production of the 10-km range UAV at a US site and move production to a Bengaluru-based joint venture, which will become global supplier.

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Seven countries have lined up to buy the UAV, currently built by US firm AeroVironment, with pending orders totaling $3 billion, a senior government official said. “Not only will the Indian company supply the remaining orders but jointly develop a 18-km extended range UAV with flying endurance increased from four to six hours,” he said.

The all-weather, all-terrain, battery-operated UAV is used to make the battlefield more “transparent” and to target enemy armored columns and personnel.

The penetration of the American UAS industry into the Indian market will affect many foreign manufacturers, including the Israelis.

Abhyas UAV
Abhyas UAV

It was also announced that Abhyas, an Indian-made high-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT) drone, is taking definite shape at the hangars of Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE). Work is currently underway on the propulsion and control systems to be fitted onboard Abhyas, taking the project closer to its final configuration.

Kept under wraps till Aero India-2013, Abhyas is tipped as the younger brother of Lakshya, a pilot-less target aircraft (PTA), now being extensively used by the three wings of Services.