14 UAVs down since Kargil: Technical snag, controlling error big causes

NEW DELHI: The crash of an Indian Navy Heron drone near Porbandar last week takes the count of armed forces-owned UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) lost due to technical snag or controlling error to about 14 since the Kargil war, when the first such loss was reported. Although the exact reasons for these crashes have not been reported, officials privy to the investigations said pilot error was the most plausible reason.

“This happens when the terrain and the wind-speed in an area are not interpreted properly and the misjudgement leads to the crash,” said an official of the armed forces, adding that external factors like the drone’s control system being jammed or they being brought down by the enemy always exist.

Lack of proper training, crew fatigue and pushing the drone beyond its capability were the other reasons cited.


The three services operate over 100 Israeli-made Searchers and Herons. They are used for not just keeping an eye on infiltration through the border with Pakistan, but also to monitor Chinese troops build-up across the border and for securing the Indian Ocean Region.

The top brass of the armed forces are concerned about the loss of drones as they are seen as the best ‘force-multipliers’.

“Quite often certain UAVs, which are not designed to go beyond a certain height or in a particular terrain, are suddenly made to do so, leading to crashes,” said a defence official. “For example, if a UAV is made to fly over plain ground along the Line of Control and is abruptly made to enter a valley. These things have to be done systematically.” Unfavourable weather conditions compound the problem, the expert said.

In December last year, the army lost an Israeli-made Heron in China’s Chumbi Valley near the Doklam standoff site.

Lastly, there are technical faults such as failure in the engine, mechanical parts and interruption in the command link that can cause such crashes. Even a pebble on the runway can cause accidents.

“It appears that the drone was pushed beyond its limits leading to the crash,” the official cited earlier said about the Heron? drone that went down on the Chinese side. Over the years, the army and navy have lost some of their Searcher Mark 2 drones and the air force has lost a few UAVs.