What about Rustom 1 project, the number of flights so far and the road-map ahead? Will it be used as UAV for the Users?
The project was taken up to develop and demonstrate several technologies required for the development of advanced UAVs. A Real Time Simulator (RTS) of the UAV has been developed to validate the missions and train the UAV and Payload operators. An External Pilot (EP) Simulator has also been developed and being used extensively for training the EPs for take-off and landing phases of the missions. The Avionics Systems have been provided with redundant systems and Redundancy Management has been incorporated and validated during the development flights
Present status
Rustom-1 has completed more than 30 successful flights, and has accumulated more than 25 hours of flight time to progressively incorporate various elements of the UAV and expand the operational envelope of the system. The users have evinced keen interest in inducting Rustom 1 into service and deploying it for tactical roles.
Future Plans
The Indian Army has inducted our Nishant UAV recently, and started deploying it for their regular operations. The Nishant UAV uses a mobile-launcher and a parachute recovery system, which gives it several tactical operational advantages. Wherever required, the conventional take-off & landing capability of Rustom 1 can be used to supplement the existing capabilities. We believe that a combination of Nishant and Rustom 1 will add enormous value to the operational capabilities of the armed forces. We will continue to use the Rustom 1 as a Flying Test Bed (FTB) or Technology Development & Demonstration platform to master further UAV technologies like Automatic Take-off & Landing (ATOL), Evaluation & Validation of Payloads and Data link. The systems will also be used to validate various emerging concepts of operations of UAVs.
Could you give us an overview of Rustom-II? What’s the latest on the components and the airframe? When will the integration start and what’ the time-line for the flight?
Rustom II is a project which we have taken up for design and development of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV system as required by the Indian Armed Forces. The MALE UAV system is being developed to meet the specific requirements projected by Indian Army, Air Force and Navy.
Scope of the UAV Project
The UAV is required to operate at high altitudes and cater to long mission durations. We have designed the Data link to enhance the existing capability of line-of-sight system and also to be able to use SATellite-based COMmand (SATCOM) system. Adequate redundancy is being provided for all critical system to ensure reliability for long endurance application requirements. Initially, the take –off & landing will be controlled by the External Pilot, based on technology mastered through the Rustom 1 project. However, we are gearing up to incorporate automatic Take-off & Landing system for Rustom II. Because of the nature of operation of the system, we need to bring in formal certification of all elements of the Rustom II UAV through close interactions with CEMILAC.
As in the other UAVs like Nishant & Rustom 1, the mission functions will be fully automated, with provision for the Internal Pilot to intervene and take over control during critical phases of the mission with commands from the Ground Control Station (GCS). Rustom II is designed to carry several types of payload sensors, as required by the users. This enables round-the-clock and all-weather operation of the system.
Present Status
We have completed the realization of the prototype hardware of most of the subsystems, including the airframe, engines, Control system and other onboard Avionics systems. The two engines were integrated on the airframe and an integrated engine run, using fuel system on the aircraft, was completed recently. At present first prototype is being integrated and tested in preparation for Low Speed Taxi Trials (LSTT). The successful progress of these trials will lead to High Speed Taxi Trials (HSTT) and then to the first flight of the UAV by June 2014. We plan to conduct the flight trials of the UAV in full-up configuration for the users, by December 2014.
Link..
http://www.aeromag.in/sites/default/files/AM NOV 2013- dplow.pdf