Indian UAV/UCAV Thread

[waqas03]

 

[soaringphnx]

Does india have their own uav?
like own designed and developed one?
a proper one?
Do they have the capablity?

HAL Lakshya PTA and HAL Nishant are indigenous UAVs. DRDO Rustom, DRDO Pawan and DRDO Gagan are under development. IAF also operates Israeli UAVs and plans to acquire more.

 

[soaringphnx]

AURA: India's UCAV Programme​

Friday, June 11, 2010.

Deep inside a non-descript building in Bangalore’s Vimanapura area, Indian military scientists are working hard to define the country’s first unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), one of India’s least known government-sponsored defence programmes. Still classified and “off the books”, the programme is steeped in conceptualizing a robotic drone aircraft that can autonomously seek, identify and destroy targets with on-board guided weapons.

According to information made available for the first time, the project has a typically evasive name – AURA, for Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft. But the working title of the drone aircraft itself leaves nothing to the imagination – Indian Unmanned Strike Aircraft Programme (IUSAP). In other words, a pilotless bomber.

The AURA programme is currently under the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), and led by aerospace scientist Biju Uthup, who has worked with the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) programme in several capacities. Sources reveal that the AURA team is currently conducting a detailed feasibility study of possible parameters under which the aircraft will finally be built. The plan is to develop the IUSAP as a tactical stealth aircraft built largely with composites, and capable of delivering laser-guided strike weapons.

Air Marshal (Retd) Tej Asthana, India’s first Strategic Forces commander says, “We must encourage the programme, and ensure that it stays as Indian as possible. We cannot import UCAVs. It is important for us to have a programme like this to get us in line with the best in the world.”

The AURA programme is, to be fair, still only a concept, and therefore well behind a large number of global combat drone programmes that are either fully operational or near, the most famous of them being the American MQ-1 Predator hunter-killer drone that has garnered a fearsome name for itself as America’s weapon of choice along the Durand Line.

“It would have been prudent if we had started a programme like this 20 years ago,” says Air Marshal (Retd) Padamjit Ahluwalia, who once headed the Air Force’s sword arm Western Air Command. “This is an aircraft that will use artificial intelligence for actual weapon delivery. It is a great thing that it is indigenous, because believe me, no country that has this technology will give it to us. We must make sure we get the sensors and weapons bang-on.”

The parameters of the IUSAP, like range, cruising altitude and sensor/weapon specifications are still unknown, and probably still undefined. Another element that will need thorough working out is the degree of autonomy such an aircraft can be given. For instance, all attack decisions on the American Predators operating in Pakistan are taken by ground controllers.

Former Air Force Chief, FH Major says, “We could have the finest autonomous pilotless vehicles. But that last minute decision to go for the target, abandon or reframe a mission will be difficult for a UCAV. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have huge scope.”

India currently operates unarmed Israel-built drones restricted to surveillance and intelligence-gathering duties, and has ordered a limited number of Harop loitering "kamikaze drones" from the same source. For the AURA programme, there are several challenges still ahead apart from the flying vehicle itself. These include on-board electronics, sensors, guidance systems, and of course, strike weapons that can be used on the platform.

With government funds to be spent on the AURA programme, there are seasoned skeptics as well. Former Air Force Chief, S Krishnaswamy, who flew combat missions in the 1965 Indo-Pak war, “Such research is definitely necessary, but the more we venture into unknown areas the greater the risk of time and cost overruns. We should ask ourselves if such a systems fits in with our requirement at this time. There should be safeguards to ensure it doesn’t turn into another joke like the Light Combat Aircraft.”

original article: LiveFist - The Best of Indian Defence: AURA: India's UCAV Programme

 

[Marxist]

DRDO develops UAV 'Netra' to aid anti-terror operations

India's defence research agency DRDO has developed an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) specifically for anti-terrorist and counter insurgency operations, which will be inducted into the armed forces by the year-end.

The 1.5 kg UAV, called 'Netra', is a collaborative development project between ideaForge, a company formed by a group of Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, alumni and one of Defence Research and Development Organisation's Pune-based labs, Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) (R&DE) Pune.

DRDO scientist Dr Alok Mukherjee, who demonstrated the UAV, here yesterday said Netra would be ready for induction into the services within the next six months after it is subjected to some more trial tests.

"The UAV is capable of operating in all the conflict theatres, including urban quarters, in a situation similar to that of the 26/11 terror attacks.", he told reporters here yesterday.
Mukerjee said the estimated cost of Netra is Rs 20 lakhs, but the price could vary if additional components like thermal camera are added as per the requirements of the security agencies concerned and their use.

IdeaForge, vice-president (Marketing and Operations Unmanned Systems) Amardeep Singh said the UAV has been designed to carry out surveillance in an area of 1.5 KM Line of Sight (LOS) and has an endurance capacity of 30 minutes of battery charge.

Apart from that, Netra is equipped with a resolution CCD camera with a pan/tilt and zoom to facilitate wider surveillance. It can also be fitted with thermal cameras to carry out night operations.

Singh said the operational altitude of the UAV is 200 meters maximum, having a vertical take-off and landing capacity (VTOL) and is equipped with a wireless transmitter. In addition to that, the in-built fail-safe features allows Netra to return to base on loss of communication or low battery.

Asked if the UAV could function in all-weather condition, Singh said the machine cannot be operated in rainy conditions but research is being carried out to make Netra function even during monsoon.

DRDO develops UAV 'Netra' to aid in anti-terrorist operations

 

[Arjun MBT]

Netra UAV

 

[kallu_be]

^^^ .. Yeah thats my university. These UAV's should reach much more heights and have proper cameo for stealth.

 

[Dr sim]

IF India has all these cool UAVs then why are they not using it to track down the maoists and hence save some precious lives of our soldiers. I think they are only operational in airshows and exercises and have a long way to go to be actually operational in a combat situation

P.s if I m not aware and they are already being used then I would say they r pretty ineffective

 

[jha]

India's Combat Drone Aura

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRIvcbINuq0&feature=player_embedded#


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRIvcbINuq0&feature=player_embedded#

 

[jha]

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[laiqs@mi]

What could be done, when you dont accecpt your flaws, Your media dosent report and that isnt our problem....anyways here you go

Pakistan Air Force

Read 13 june 2009

This might help!!!!

'Within two years of its induction to boost border surveillance, Armed Forces have lost four Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAV) with Indian officials taking up the matter with Israeli manufacturers.

 

[Marxist]

The Indian armed forces' wide-ranging pursuit of many of the world's most sophisticated combat aircraft has expanded to the global market for stealthy, unmanned combat air vehicles.

The Indian air force has submitted a request for information to international suppliers for a unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) with low radar cross-section, high service ceiling and an expected range of 500nm (925km). It also wants the aircraft to carry precision-guided weapons in an internal weapons bay.

A technical evaluation committee will select aircraft submitted by bidders to enter field evaluation trials funded at the manufacturer's expense.

The unexpected tender is likely to draw bids from across India's various weapon systems suppliers, which include the arms industries of France, Israel, Italy, Russia, the UK and the USA.

Several UCAV demonstrators are in development around the world. Current options include the Boeing Phantom Ray, Dassault-led Neuron, EADS Barracuda, General Atomics Predator C/Avenger, Northrop Grumman X-47B and the RSK MiG Skat.

Israel has previously supplied unmanned air systems to India, but so far has not revealed any designs for a stealth UCAV with an internal weapons bay.

India canvasses global suppliers for stealthy UCAV

 

[CONNAN]

BY EDITOR AT 8 JULY, 2010, 2:28 AM

BY: Army Times Publishing Company

India Begins Global Search for UCAVs

India has entered the global market to purchase unmanned combat UAVs (UCAVs) following a request for information sent to defense companies in Europe, Israel, Russia and the United States.

UCAVs will be inducted in the Indian Air Force and used to fight terrorists in northern Jammu and Kashmir bordering Pakistan. The Air Force wants modern UCAVs with twin engines, low infrared signature, stealth features, electronic countermeasures and the ability to link with satellites.

The new UCAVs sought by India would be reusable and operate like combat fighter aircraft. Current drones in the inventory destroy themselves along with the target.

The total life expectancy of the UCAV should be at least 20 years and the drone should have advanced avionics and electronic warfare capabilities.

The Defence Ministry is also negotiating purchase of Israeli Harop loitering attack drones. The Harop is a vehicle-launched UAV controlled by a remote operator with a 51-pound warhead and capable of flying more than 1,000 kilometers and loitering for hours.

India is also developing a homemade UAV for use by the Navy.

 

[trident2010]

IAF Announces Micro Air Vehicle Requirement

The Indian Air Force has invited information from global vendors towards a potential purchase of (an unspecified number of) micro air vehicles (MAVs). According to the RFI, the MAV needs to weigh no more than 2-kgs with an endurance of anything over 30-minutes. The IAF has stipulated that the MAV needs to be a VTOL type, with payload requirements including day CCD camera and FLIR. Note: The Army is looking to induct the indigenous DRDO-ideaForge Netra MAV (see photo), made famous by the film 3 Idiots. Also, Honeywell RQ-16 T-Hawk was recently demonstrated to Indian forces in the forests of Bastar, Chattisgarh for potential use in anti-naxal operations. India's NAL is known to be developing a series of MAVS, but none are known to be VTOL platforms.


LiveFist - The Best of Indian Defence: IAF Announces Micro Air Vehicle Requirement

 

[jha]

30 minutes endurance is too less even for anti-naxal ops.

 

[RajeHind]

For army i understand its requirement but in what situation it will be useful for IAF?