Govt to procure compact UAV system for IAF special forces for high-altitude areas

NEW DELHI: The defence ministry has started the process for procurement of a compact unmanned aerial conveyance (UAV) strategy for the elite IAF peculiar forces portion that tin run successful utmost biology conditions, and astatine altitudes up to 16,400 feet supra mean oversea level.The ministry precocious issued a petition for accusation (RFI) for procuring a 'micro UAV' strategy for the Garud peculiar forces. “There is simply a request for peculiar forces affable compact MIL standard, airy weight, casual to transportation micro UAV strategy which tin beryllium operated astatine precocious altitude areas with enhanced EOIR Gimbal surveillance and people acquisition feature, with higher sustainability astatine precocious altitude areas arsenic compared to the existing micro UAV system.

It should beryllium a multipurpose UAV system, suitable to run each Indian climatic information and terrain during peculiar forces operations. Operational beingness should beryllium 7 years oregon 500 landings whichever is earlier,” the RFI said.“The implicit value of a man-portable micro UAV strategy should not beryllium much than 25 kg, packed successful 2 all-weather backpacks,” it said. The projected strategy should besides beryllium capable to enactment time and nighttime surveillance, people acquisition and real-time situational awareness.

“The strategy is required to run successful utmost biology conditions, including temperatures ranging from minus 20 deg C to positive 50 deg C," the connection said. The projected strategy is besides envisaged to person an accrued scope arsenic good arsenic enhanced endurance level, they said. It should besides beryllium susceptible of operating successful GPS-denied environments and beryllium scalable to Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), the officials said.It indispensable besides diagnostic autonomous vertical take-off and landing capability, unafraid encrypted connection links, and should person "multiple operational modes" including autonomous, manual, and people tracking modes. The RFI emphasises procurement nether the 'Buy (Indian–IDDM)' oregon 'Buy Indian' categories with a request of "minimum 60% indigenous content," the petition said.