The Aeronautical Development Establishment’s Rustom-II made its maiden flight on Wednesday morning from Challakere in Chitradurga.
The indigenously developed Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle is a breakthrough accomplishment for India’s future UAV developmental programmes.
The Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) which developed the vehicle said that the vehicle belongs to the medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) category and had met all expectations on its inaugural flight, quoted The Times of India.
The DRDO successfully carried out the maiden flight of TAPAS 201 (RUSTOM-II), which has an endurance of 24 to 30 hours and can conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions for the country’s armed forces. It is the first R&D prototype UAV which has undergone certification and qualification for the first flight from the Center for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC) and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA), The Economic Times reported. It has a wingspan of 20 meters and weighs two tonnes.
Rustom-II promises to be a formidable addition to the Indian Armed forces, comparable to USA’s Predator drones allowing Indian Forces to remotely engage in combat.
An initially scheduled 2013 release was pushed back by 3 years to allow for technical advancements; during the span of which India was forced to induct foreign-made drones.
Advancements from the original Rustom-I include an improved aerodynamic configuration, better navigation systems, automatic take-off and a better landing efficiency; all of which allow for the Rustom-II to be state of the art.
Compared to its earlier version RUSTOM-I, this new rendition is more advanced with contemporary technology which includes improved aerodynamic configuration, navigation system, automatic take-off and landing efficiency which makes it almost comparable to the best drones present worldwide.
