Indian-made drones get a big push

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Unmanned air vehicles, (UAV) are often referred to as “the eyes and ears of security forces”. They also reduce the risk of deploying precious security personnel in troubled areas. Now, Made-in-India UAVs have gotten a shot in the arm with the coming together of public sector production and research agencies.

Recently, an official from Aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) said the company had launched a major program to produce three categories of unmanned aerial systems (UAS, aka ‘drones’) designed for both civil and military uses.

HAL Chairman T. Suvarna Raju said, during the ongoing Aero India 2015, that the company’s design team was coming up with a model of an 8 kg to 10 kg class medium UAVs for India’s armed services. HAL has partnered with defense research lab Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) for the latter’s Rustom-2, and with National Aerospace Labs for 2-kg micro UAVs.

According to The Hindu, the company’s board, anticipating the growing demand for unmanned systems, approved the establishment of a separate division for its UAVs business. It also maintains the few dozen UAVs that the Indian Armed Forces use. “We have the means for this enterprise,” Raju said.

HAL and ADE sealed a tie-up for ADE’s Rs. 1,200-crore (nearly $2 billion) Rustom-2 MALE drone (short for medium altitude long endurance). HAL will invest Rs. 210 crore (almost $340 million) in the triangular program (HAL, ADE and Rustom), which may require a new production line.

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Bharat Electronics Ltd., another defense contractor, will provide ground support for the pilotless aircraft and put in Rs. 90 crore (about $140 million), Mr. Raju and ADE’s Director P. Srikumar told The Hindu separately. Mr. Srikumar also said UASs are going to be the primary tool for providing security in the coming years.

ADE is working on the further development of the already operational Nishant (Urdu for ‘bird’) UAV, which is used by the Indian Armed Forces and is made by HAL. The company is also developing the Rustom-1 and Rustom-2 UAV programs. In addition, ADE is also developing a range of micro, rotary (helicopter-like) and other unmanned air vehicles.

India’s ground, air and naval forces require a large number of drones for surveillance and intelligence gathering missions. Prevailing estimates put the number at several dozens of UASs. In total, India’s Armed Forced are estimated to be using a mix of 40 Israeli and Indian UAVs, mainly along the Western border (with Pakistan), as well as in Naxal-hit areas. Eventually, the success of these activities is expected to bring down the extent of imports.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has recently made a requested for information on 18 ‘birds’. This is considered a preliminary step ahead of future acquisition, primarily for policing missions.