DRDO to come out with policy document on unmanned vehicles capability

BENGALURU: Citing that there is a "huge" potential in the unmanned vehicles area, DRDO today said it is making a policy document on the unmanned capability to be provided for defence services.

"..unmanned vehicles are going to be the order of the day, as a matter of fact that is the policy of DRDO in the future, and we are making a policy document 2020...what should be the unmanned capability that we must provide for our services," DRDO Chairman S Christopher told reporters.

He said with the marriage of software expertise, and the production capability of companies supported by 'Make in India' unmanned vehicles should be created.

"....we need to create vehicles for air, ground and underwater," he added.

The DRDO chief also said by May an exhibition or a competition will be conducted in this regard for students to harness and bring out the knowledge that is existing all over the country and the good work will be nurtured and supported.

About the Technology Development Fund that has been newly created under which private firms can be supported up to Rs 10 crore, willing to work on the requirement floated by DRDO for designing and developing a new idea, he said most of them who are coming up for this are in the unmanned area.

"There is going to be huge growth in the unmanned vehicles area," he added.

Christopher was speaking to reporters at the curtain raiser of eleventh biennial Aero India International Seminar to be held from February 12-14 here, as a prelude to the eleventh edition of the Aero India Aerospace Exposition.

DRDO's Airborne Early Warning and Control System will be inducted on the first day of Aero India 2017 to be held from February 14-18.

Also there will be demonstration of LCA Tejas for customers during the Aero India, where people from both within and outside the country after the due clearance will fly in a trainer as co-passenger.

Asked if this will be the first time a foreigner will be flying in LCA Tejas, officials said Chief of Turkmenistan, who is a potential customer had flown in August last year and evaluated.

Both trainer versions of Tejas PV5 and PV6 will be present in the Aero India

Pointing out that Rustom-II, India's indigenously developed long-endurance combat-capable drone has successfully completed its maiden flight, Christopher said "we will continue to work on that and see that hopefully next year or this year end, it comes to the induction stage."