DRDO in talks with Boeing, Lockheed Martin for UAV

[CONNAN]

Bengaluru, February 17:
US companies, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, are in talks with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for a possible collaboration for developing an indigenous rotary engine-powered UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and an Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

Common platform
Rotary UAV is a programme of the Indian Navy in which HAL, ADE and the Indian Navy with certification from the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), have come together on one platform to design and develop it.

ADE, which has already successfully test-flown the Rustom UAV, has the expertise to develop UAVs and this is for the first-time that all the defence institutions are coming together to develop a rotary UAV. Developing a rotary UAV is a challenging task, given the fact that UAV has to land on a moving ship. It has to take into consideration a yaw motion (a side-to side movement) of the bow of the ship and Pitch (the rotation of a vessel about its side-to-side).

For AMCA, DRDO is planning to integrate certain fifth generation capabilities. “Fifth generation requires stealth, super cruise and thrust factor. All these three areas are being integrated into the AMCA.”

Boeing and Lockheed Martin are to make a presentation to DRDO during the forthcoming Aero India show in Bengaluru, said K Tamilmani, DS & DG Aeronautical Systems at DRDO.

Engines
Considering the improved ties with US and opportunities in Russia, DRDO is exploring government-to-government (G-to-G) support for various aircraft engine upgrades.

Talks with private companies and engaging with foreign government is part of the DRDO’s goal to engage with the private sector for collaborations and productions with regards to its various development programmes.

Indigenisation
Talking of indigenisation of LCA, Tamilmani said DRDO is making efforts to increase it from 65 per cent at present to 80 per cent in three years. DRDO currently has 364 LRUs (line replaceable units) of which 164 LRUs are ‘made in India’ and the rest (109) are imported from foreign vendors.

Tamilmani said, “DRDO has identified local vendors, who can produce them locally and save precious foreign exchange for the country. It is to the tune of ₹700 crore, the budget which the LCA programme has set aside.”

The process has already started and by the time LCA Mark II is ready, 80 to 85 per cent indigenisation will be achieved. Tamilmani said Aero India, this year, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The theme for the tenth international edition of the aerospace and aviation exhibition is ‘Make in India’.

Aero India show
The Indian flying team will comprise LCH, Tejas, Dhruv, Rudra, Sukhoi and Tiger Moth. The foreign military aircraft at the air show will include F-15C Eagle, Lockheed F-16C, Boeing KC-135, Boeing C-17, Rafale and Embraer EMB-145I.

The foreign civil aircraft participation will include PC-12 NG, Falcon 2000, Phenom 100E, Boeing B 75, Boeing A 75, Viking, Catwalk, WASP, RRJ 95, EMB 505, Bell 407 GX Helicopter, King Air 350 ER, 19-seater Turbo Prop AI Industry, Z Lin Z 50 LX, OmaSud Sky Car, Falcon 7 X and Dornier 228-New Gen

DRDO in talks with Boeing, Lockheed Martin for UAV | Business Line

 

[axisofevil]

Didn't we build a wankel engine?

 

[CONNAN]

Didn't we build a wankel engine?

yep we did

Indigenous Wankel Engine Cleared for Mass Production



The indigenous 55hp wankel rotary combustion engine has been awarded provisional clearence certificate on 7th Feb, clearing it for mass production.

The wankel was developed under a joint program between CSIR- NAL and DRDO for the Nishant UAV built by ADE, DRDO.

This event attains significance due to the fact that very few engines developed in the country have been issued flight clearance by CEMILAC, the certification wing of the DRDO.

Based on the NAL Design, DRDO initiated fabrication of 20 engines with help of a Hyderabad based private firm.
The Wankel engine has been actively considered for powering light aircraft and UAVs in view of its unique advantages such as a relatively small size and a correspondingly high specific output.

In view of the salient features of the engine which makes it a suitable power plant for light weight aviation, an indigenous wankel engine development program was initiated by DRDO. The program to design and develop a flight worthy wankel engine was jointly taken up by CSIR-NAL, VRDE, and ADE. NAL, with its earlier exposure while working on Wankel engine for hang glider, took up the development of core engine for DRDO.

NAL designed and developed the core engine, VRDE and ADE were in-charge of peripheral systems and flight testing respectively.

As per the MOU two flight worthy prototype engines were delivered.

The first engine successfully completed a 40 min maiden flight on 31st march 2009 at the Kolar airfield. The UAV was recovered safely at the intended place at the dried-up Muduvadi Lake.

The flown engine underwent 20 hours and 10 hours of pre and post flight tests respectively.
The post-flight test was carried out confirmed that the engine’s performance was matching with the pre-flight performance.

The second flight test of the engine was carried out on 20th June 2012 .The flight took off at 1430 hrs in the afternoon and climbed to an altitude of 1.9 km. The total mission duration was 1 hour 45 min.

The first three engines produced by DRDO based on NAL design, also flight tested and the flight tests were up to requirements of the mission. Subsequently, CEMILAC accorded Certificate for ‘Limited Series Production’ on 7th February 2013.

The Wankel engine is the first of its kind that was totally designed and developed in the country. This type of engines are used for powering smaller air vehicles, UAVs, target drones and also in automotive (Mazda, and Racing Cars), out-board motor for boats and other industrial applications in particular for power generation, typically up to 80 kW.
Indigenous Wankel Engine Cleared for Mass Production | Aviation Analysis Wing

 

[C130]

what drone is at that? thinking it's called hummingbird?? not sure.

 

[CONNAN]

what drone is at that? thinking it's called hummingbird?? not sure.

Armed version of Boeing MQ-18 Hummingbird (A160) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Helicopter

 

[C130]

Armed version of Boeing MQ-18 Hummingbird (A160) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Helicopter

what missile is on it ?? looks like it has a IIR seeker

 

[CONNAN]

what missile is on it ?? looks like it has IIR seeker

no idea man yup it is an IIR seeker at least from the looks and like similar to Mokopa missiles but American version of Mokopa anti amour missiles

 

[C130]

no idea man yup it is an IIR seeker at least from the looks and like similar to Mokopa missiles but American version of Mokopa anti amour missiles

the closet American missile to Mokopais Hellfire and that looks smaller than Hellfire. maybe Griffin??

 

[CONNAN]

the closet American missile to Mokopais Hellfire and that looks smaller than Hellfire. maybe Griffin??

yep looks like they are Raytheon Griffin block 3

 

[C130]

yep looks like they are Raytheon Griffin block 3

but doesn't Griffin launched from a enclosed container that?
interesting i'll have look into this.
i like the look of the UAV and the weapon system

 

[CONNAN]

but doesn't Griffin launched from a enclosed container that?
interesting i'll have look into this.
i like the look of the UAV and the weapon system

May be mockup model