Rustom-1
India’s domestic unmanned aircraft programme is progressing on schedule. The Rustom-2 project is spread over 66 months, according to P S Krishnan Director of Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO) laboratory. Rustom-2 would have a wingspan of over 21 meters and an endurance of 24-hours-plus, as against seven-odd meters and 12-15 hours of Rustom-1, which has already completed five flights. Rustom-1, the Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aircraft would be integrated with payloads by next month, Krishnan said.
“We have demonstrated all the flying characteristics of the Rustom more or less in the final form”. The unmanned aircraft made its fifth successful flight recently, flying at an altitude of 2,300 feet at a speed of 100 Knots during the 25 minutes cruise near Hosur, about 40 km from Bangalore. It can attain a maximum speed of 150 Knots, 22,000 feet of altitude and endurance of 12-15 hours with an operating range of 250 kms when fully developed.
Krishnan said the Indian Army is keenly watching the developments of Rustom-1, which has the potential military missions like reconnaissance and surveillance, target acquisition, target designation, communications relay, battle damage assessment and signal intelligence
Source: The Economic Times