Army successfully tests Rudrastra

The Army has undertaken successful trials of indigenous vertical take off and landing (VTOL) drones being developed for cross-border strikes to take down enemy artillery positions. The trials have been conducted at the Pokhran firing range, with the drones demonstrating their ability to take down targets at a range of over 50 km.

Equipped with precision-guided warheads that can be used in an anti-personnel role, the drones can relay back live video and return to the launch position in automated mode. The Army is looking to acquire the drones in significant numbers as a stand off weapon that can target enemy firing positions, including artillery guns placed well inside enemy territory.

Sources said that indigenous drone manufacturers have been invited to demonstrate the capability of their systems for the Army requirement. On Wednesday, Solar Aerospace and Defence Limited (SDAL) successfully completed a trial of its UAV named Rudrastra that is being developed for a variety of roles for the armed forces.

The drone demonstrated a total range of 170 km, which included loitering over the target area and an endurance of close to an hour-and-a-half. The munition dropped from the drone from a high altitude was an airburst version that exploded at a low height and destroyed targets over a wide radius as required by the Army.

The armed forces have been looking at indigenous solutions to meet evolving challenges of the battlefield and have been focusing on unmanned systems. In terms of offensive weapons, the focus has been on drones that can strike 50-100 km inside enemy territory to meet mission requirements that include taking down terrorist infrastructure and enemy positions that provide covering fire for infiltration attempts.