UAVs operational in India

UAVs OPERATIONAL IN INDIA

Following is the list of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles operational in India till date.

(i) Nishant (ii) Lakshya
(iii) Searcher II (iv) Heron

UAVs in the process of development:

(i) Rustam (ii) Pawan (iii) Gagan


Nishant
Type: TUAV
Weight: 300Kg
Payload: 45Kg
Engine: German ALVIS AR-801
Endurance: 5 hrs
Range: 100Km
Altitude: 1,000 m

Rustam

Type: MALE UAV
Estimated cost: $100 million
Beginning: June 2005
Endurance: 24 hrs
Range: 300 km
Max Altitude: 10,000 meters
Communication: Satellite links to transmit data, thereby extending its surveillance range beyond 1,000 kilometers.
Weight: 1,100-kg
Procurement: Maritime patrol radar and electro-optic sensors from Israel, engine
In-house: Electronic warfare and communications system
Prototypes: 4
To be completed: 4 yrs

Pawan
Type: Short-range UAV
Estimated cost: $33.2 million
Comparable in size and capabilities to Israel’s Eye View, Hermes 180 and Silver Arrow drones
Weight: 120-kilogram
Mission: day-and-night surveillance capability
Endurance: 5 hrs
Range: 150 km
Prototypes: 4
Procured: electro-optic sensors from IAI and Engine
In-house development: stabilizer platform
Time of project completion: 24 months.

Gagan
(advanced version of Nishant UAV)
Type: Tactical UAV.
Estimated cost: $55.5 million
Range: 250 kilometers
Altitude: 6,000 meters
To be procured: synthetic aperture radar and electro-optic sensors from Israel,
In-house development: electronic countermeasure systems
Prototypes: 4
Time of project completion: 42 months