UAVs, Drones, Remote Surveillance Tech

dinesha · Post by **dinesha** » 01 Sep 2009 21:18

Lockheed Martin shows interest in UAV made in India

New Delhi, Sep 1 (PTI) A team from Delhi Technical University (DTU) which developed an urban aerial UAV has claimed that lack of interest shown by DRDO and some private companies in their project led to a US defence major showing interest to take it further.

arunsrinivasan · Post by **arunsrinivasan** » 04 Sep 2009 14:34

Attack of the drones From The Economist Tech Quarterly

Military technology: Smaller and smarter unmanned aircraft are transforming spying and redefining the idea of air power

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 25 Sep 2009 08:49

US Deploys Advanced Airship in Afghanistan for Extended Aerial Surveillance

See, this is the kind of aircraft that I think India should develop. It could be operated by ARC.
This kind of craft could be used for border surveillance, and also to monitor Naxalites, etc, over extended periods of time.

If this thing has the long-loiter capability to stay above an area for 3 weeks, then all you need is some kind of remotely-aimed rifle on it to pick off targets at leisure, one by one. It would beat the hell out of a Predator drone, that's for sure.

The Taliban and AlQaeda have learned how to judge the response time of US/NATO air power. They know exactly how long to sustain an ambush engagement and break it off before air power arrives. They've gotten wise to the operational patterns of their prey.

A platform like this could shake up the routine and cramp Taliban's style, by providing round-the-clock air cover and surveillance. That's also why India needs to develop similar technology.
We've already made good use of our Predator-cloned Herons, and a platform like LEMV would only be even more useful. It would take counter-insurgency warfare to a new level, which existing insurgent tactics would find hard to adapt to.

vishwakarmaa · Post by **vishwakarmaa** » 25 Sep 2009 13:50

dinesha wrote:New Delhi, Sep 1 (PTI) A team from Delhi Technical University (DTU) which developed an urban aerial UAV has claimed that lack of interest shown by DRDO and some private companies in their project led to a US defence major showing interest to take it further.

The best they will do is, transfer the project and students to USA. And, sell the same idea to IAF at 100 times the cost.

In USA, its airforce funds and encourages students on American universities. IAF who got 30% budget increase this year, only knows how to whine about LCA project and does nothing but spends whole money on foreign imports.

IAF should learn from Navy and put the money where its mouth is.

vishwakarmaa · Post by **vishwakarmaa** » 25 Sep 2009 13:55

Sanjay M wrote:US Deploys Advanced Airship in Afghanistan for Extended Aerial Surveillance

Problem is not lack of ideas. Indian students have better ideas than these fat floaters.

Problem is lack of interests, initiatives and funds.

Who is the buyer and demand generator for aerial defense equipments in India? - IAF.

What IAF does? - Import, import and Import.

DRDO can't develop anything on a 1 billion dollar budget spread over 10 years. How DRDO can induce momentum and enthusiasm in its project scientists when it doesn't have enough money to pay them?

Problem is corruption amongst IAF top brass and MoD.

vishwakarmaa · Post by **vishwakarmaa** » 25 Sep 2009 13:58

IAF top brass should stop wasting time on foreign tours and MRCA.

Spend time at home in university campuses on creating strategies on next generation private-academic R&D Complexes.

Armed forces of this country lack a vision. They sit in AC offices and think their only job is at border. They are not ready to understand their duties of peacetime.

I don't see any problems in DRDO brains. They have delivered more than they were paid for.

JimmyJ · Post by **JimmyJ** » 25 Sep 2009 19:11

vishwakarmaa wrote: Armed forces of this country lack a vision. They sit in AC offices and think their only job is at border. They are not ready to understand their duties of peacetime.

Sir,

Could you please reread your own lines.Do you really mean each and every word written it.

Gaur · Post by **Gaur** » 26 Sep 2009 01:24

vishwakarmaa wrote:IAF top brass should stop wasting time on foreign tours and MRCA.

Spend time at home in university campuses on creating strategies on next generation private-academic R&D Complexes.

Armed forces of this country lack a vision. They sit in AC offices and think their only job is at border. They are not ready to understand their duties of peacetime.

I don't see any problems in DRDO brains. They have delivered more than they were paid for.

Hats off to you! The most fabulous post that I have had the honour to read in the recent past.

vishwakarmaa wrote: Spend time at home in university campuses on creating strategies on next generation private-academic R&D Complexes.

My puny brain is somewhat at pains to understand your above statement. Your exemplary knowledge of all matters military is only matched by your knowledge of English Language. Does your genius propose that military brass make strategies at private R&D complexes? Or do you mean that it is military's job to establish academies and R&D complexes?

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 02 Oct 2009 09:53

DARPA's remote-controlled flying beetles:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1 ... tance.html

This could become the ultimate form of counter-insurgency warfare.

kmkraoind · Post by **kmkraoind** » 02 Oct 2009 11:21

Sanjay M wrote:DARPA's remote-controlled flying beetles:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1 ... tance.html

This could become the ultimate form of counter-insurgency warfare.

Don't send them to spy on Chinese, because they will eat them

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 02 Oct 2009 11:28

or they will send mind controlled birds to eat them.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/27/chin ... n-electro/

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 05 Oct 2009 16:15

The Emergence of UCAV Systems (Part 1)

Good read - addresses most technical and ethical issues around UCAVs.

Does anyone know what stage the Indian research with Artificial Intelligence is? AI looked like the next big thing a decade ago, but we don't hear much about actual research or milestones achieved.

Do we have any research going on in automated take-off/landing systems, image processing/target identification systems etc?

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 08 Oct 2009 10:02

X-47B Landing Gears ready

rajeshks · Post by **rajeshks** » 08 Oct 2009 23:18

vishwakarmaa wrote:IAF top brass should stop wasting time on foreign tours and MRCA.

Spend time at home in university campuses on creating strategies on next generation private-academic R&D Complexes.

Armed forces of this country lack a vision. They sit in AC offices and think their only job is at border. They are not ready to understand their duties of peacetime.

I don't see any problems in DRDO brains. They have delivered more than they were paid for.

Before blaming IAF do we really know the difference between a final year academic project and an operational weapon system. First one is a primitive system which will have all kinds of problems and trying to refine that will be costlier than asking DRDO to develop from scratch. I do agree that sometimes we get innovative ideas and real genius. the best thing to do with them is to sponsor them for higher studies and encouraging them to stay back in the country. Govt has more things to do on this than the defence forces.

sawant · Post by **sawant** » 08 Oct 2009 23:48

vishwakarmaa wrote:IAF top brass should stop wasting time on foreign tours and MRCA.

Spend time at home in university campuses on creating strategies on next generation private-academic R&D Complexes.

Armed forces of this country lack a vision. They sit in AC offices and think their only job is at border. They are not ready to understand their duties of peacetime.

To some extent I agree.... I remember during operation Parakram how we lost soldiers due to the faulty way in which ordnances were stored... not sure if we have learnt a lesson or not... and I am not sure if there were any foreign tours to learn from that

... But it's really the Govt's job to bring to fruition what we need...armed forces can only recommend... its another story that despite all these foreign tours our netas and babus haven't learnt a thing abt infrastructure but that's for another day

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 11 Oct 2009 22:26

Blimp Deployed Over Kabul

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 14 Oct 2009 15:33

FORESTER successfully tested with A160T

Now UAVs can see through foliage..

Mahendra · Post by **Mahendra** » 15 Oct 2009 15:15

Got this in my inbox from Mullah Nayakuddin.

Latest Scans, courtesy vayu.

VishalJ · Post by **VishalJ** » 31 Oct 2009 23:54

BAE Systems - Mantis UAS
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1602957/L/ High Res

Ankit Desai · Post by **Ankit Desai** » 05 Nov 2009 01:04

Significant step toward indigenous UAV

In a significant step that will give the Indian armed forces an indigenously designed and developed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a technological demonstrator (TD) of the Rustom will take to the Hosur skies this month.

Ankit

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 05 Nov 2009 11:50

^^^
do we have any pics of this Rustom?

The one unveiled in AI2009 was much different (predator like) than the other snap of a larger LCRA derivative that came earlier.

Umrao Das · Post by **Umrao Das** » 05 Nov 2009 12:37

Even for a blimp we need collobration with Israel?

While in Massa land the wife and husband designed their own blimp and claimed a kid of their was missing. Later they said they were kidding!

If a wife and husband could put hot air blimp to air (aerofloat) IA/DRDO needs Israel

K Mehta · Post by **K Mehta** » 05 Nov 2009 13:20

According to a panwallah, Rustom has been seen around HAL airport flying for quite some time now.
Whether it was Rustom-H or the predator like final version or the tech demonstrator that flew in AI-05 i dont know.
Panwallah only mentioned Rustom.

The news above seems to be about the Rustom H, and not the final version, as the half the range part shows. IMHO

Umraoji
the Israeli help is for putting an AESA radar on the blimp.

rakall · Post by **rakall** » 05 Nov 2009 13:33

K Mehta wrote:According to a panwallah, Rustom has been seen around HAL airport flying for quite some time now.
Whether it was Rustom-H or the predator like final version or the tech demonstrator that flew in AI-05 i dont know.
Panwallah only mentioned Rustom.

The news above seems to be about the Rustom H, and not the final version, as the half the range part shows. IMHO

Umraoji
the Israeli help is for putting an AESA radar on the blimp.

What was seen flying earlier around HAL was the unmanned version of LCRA..

karan_mc · Post by **karan_mc** » 06 Nov 2009 08:17

DRDO’s Rustom UAV to take first flight this month

VishalJ · Post by **VishalJ** » 08 Nov 2009 04:26

Heyy, It looks just like the Mantis, what are its specs ?

Asit P · Post by **Asit P** » 16 Nov 2009 02:57

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to be used in anti-Naxal operations

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) will be used for the first time to detect Naxal hideouts in dense forests and hilly terrains and monitor the movement of ultras to help ground forces carry out precision attacks. ( Watch Video )

The UAVs, with in-built camera, well-equipped data link and video link, will gather and record information which will be shared among the security forces engaged in anti-Naxal operations, specially in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Maharashtra and West Bengal.

The trials of the UAVs, developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), have recently been conducted in Hissar and Delhi while more trials will be conducted in jungles of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand soon.

"We are satisfied with the UAV trials in Hissar and Delhi. If we are satisfied with next stage of trials, we will take the help of UAVs in our operations against Naxals," a Home Ministry official said.

Security experts also want to see which of the UAV variants will be useful in forests and hills as most of the Maoist bases are located there only.

The UAVs also provide flexible surveillance and reconnaissance capability with external payload, including weapons capability.

"Since Maoists are keep changing their movements, deployment of UAVs will certainly be an advantage for security forces," the official said.

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 17 Nov 2009 08:56

UAV crashes near Hosur

The remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (R-1-1) developed by the defence ministry's Aeronautical Development Establishment took off from a private airstrip at Belagondapalli village, about 40 km from Bangalore, around 4.5 pm. The UAV was about 3 m long and 1.5 m wide. After hovering over the private airstrip of Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Ltd. for a few minutes, the aircraft, operated by remote control, lost direction and crashed onto an adjacent coconut farm.

Another link which doesnt mention the ADE

has any one heard of the Tanejas? any speculations on the capabilities of this UAV?

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 17 Nov 2009 09:12

taneja aerospace and kumaron industries were the first pvt aero co's in India after liberalisation.
one or both are/were involved in small civil projects.

sum · Post by **sum** » 17 Nov 2009 09:17

Kailash wrote:UAV crashes near Hosur

The remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (R-1-1) developed by the defence ministry's Aeronautical Development Establishment took off from a private airstrip at Belagondapalli village, about 40 km from Bangalore, around 4.5 pm. The UAV was about 3 m long and 1.5 m wide. After hovering over the private airstrip of Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Ltd. for a few minutes, the aircraft, operated by remote control, lost direction and crashed onto an adjacent coconut farm.
has any one heard of the Tanejas? any speculations on the capabilities of this UAV?

Deccan herald had a photo of the Rustom as the UAV which crashed...Wonder if its DDM or its true?

Dmurphy · Post by **Dmurphy** » 17 Nov 2009 11:22

Check this out guys,

http://www.taal.co.in/aerostructure_div ... ork_ex.htm

Does not mention Rustom. But it does mention Nishant and Lakshya.

rakall · Post by **rakall** » 17 Nov 2009 11:25

Kailash wrote:UAV crashes near Hosur

The remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (R-1-1) developed by the defence ministry's Aeronautical Development Establishment took off from a private airstrip at Belagondapalli village, about 40 km from Bangalore, around 4.5 pm. The UAV was about 3 m long and 1.5 m wide. After hovering over the private airstrip of Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Ltd. for a few minutes, the aircraft, operated by remote control, lost direction and crashed onto an adjacent coconut farm.
Another link which doesnt mention the ADE

has any one heard of the Tanejas? any speculations on the capabilities of this UAV?

ADE developed Rustom was supposed to it's first flight tests sometime now using Taneja's airstrip..

So I think it is Rustom proto which crashed..

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 17 Nov 2009 11:40

Rahul, thanks for that bit of info. I saw the news on some tamil news channel as well. They showed a single propeller in dirt, could not make out what it belonged to.

But looking at the range descibed and the dimentions, doubt this is any relative of Rustom MALE. It may very well be some small civilian drone being tested. Only the name (R-1-1) looks suspicious.

SuKan · Post by **SuKan** » 17 Nov 2009 12:47

Video of crashed UAV , looks like a Rustom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ki8YbrWCKw

sunny y · Post by **sunny y** » 17 Nov 2009 13:00

Hi....regarding the use of UAV's against naxalites, I have read in a report (I'll try to find the link) that HAL has been tasked to develop new hand launched UAV's similiar to what we saw in just concluded Yudh Abhyas. Is this true ?? If yes then it's really good to have those hand launched UAV's but how will HAL be able to develop them in such a short span of time because action against maoists is due in December after the elections.

Kailash wrote:UAV crashes near Hosur

ADE developed Rustom was supposed to it's first flight tests sometime now using Taneja's airstrip..
So I think it is Rustom proto which crashed..

No god no please

I hope it was not Rustom otherwise it would be a very big setback for our UAV deveopment programme.

Thanks

sombhat · Post by **sombhat** » 17 Nov 2009 13:10

Looking at the video, there is no doubt that this is the flying LCRA Rustom. But is this the one which was supposed to make its first flight? I doubt this because the new Rustom MALE design displayed in AI09 was very much like conventional MALE UAVs.

sunny y · Post by **sunny y** » 17 Nov 2009 13:26

^^^ Sombhat
Hi....The Rustom TD which was supposed to make it's first flight was not a full fledged MALE UAV that was displayed in AI-09. It was a scaled down version. This test was mainly to test necessary technologies.

Here is the link : http://indiadefenceonline.com/1393/ade- ... ustom-uav/

The ADE are using the ‘Rustom’ technology demonstrator as a stepping stone to prove the technologies that will go into the ‘Rustom’ UAV.

The ‘Rustom’ Technology Demonstrator will be smaller in size than the original but will have the same configuration as that of a full-fledged Rustom UAV. It will undertake around 10 flights which will include taxiing, taking off and landing like a conventional aeroplane but devoid of a pilot. Being smaller than the full-fledged production standard Rustom, the technology demonstrator will have endurance of only 12 to 15 hours, approximately half of what the Rustom is being designed for.

Thanks

karan_mc · Post by **karan_mc** » 17 Nov 2009 14:58

here is the pictures of it

http://idrw.org/?p=1715#more-1715

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 17 Nov 2009 17:06

looks like the LCRA ?

karan_mc · Post by **karan_mc** » 17 Nov 2009 18:03

Rahul M wrote:looks like the LCRA ?

yes it seems to be LCRA ,i have seen some pictures of Rustom which DRDO put up in Aero India ,looking at the pictures it seems to be pusher propeller rather then forward-mounted propeller on Rustom Shown on Aero india