In News
Indigenous UAV Rustom-2 Â is expected to complete user trials by August 2023.
Significance and needÂ
- High endurance UAVs are a priority requirement for the armed forces especially in the standoff with China in Eastern Ladakh.Â
- The armed forces rely heavily on the Israeli Searcher and Heron drones and need more such UAVs.
About Rustom-2
- It is an indigenous Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV.
- It has been designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru, with the production partners being HAL and Bharat Electronics Ltd.Â
- It is being developed to carry out surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) roles and is capable of carrying different combinations of advanced payload and capable of auto landing, among others.
- In December 2021, Rustom-2 had crossed a milestone by reaching an altitude of 25,000 feet and an endurance of 10 hours.Â
- In the past, Rustom-2 technologically matched the contemporary UAVs available and would also be cheaper than the imported ones while meeting the requirements of the three Services.
Source:TH
