Hybrid vertical take-off UAV successfully tested at Pokhran range
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Nagpur: A hybrid vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (VTOL-UAV), which can cover a 50km radius with 8 kg ammunition — developed by Nagpur's Solar Aerospace and Defence Limited (SDAL) — was successfully tested at the Pokhran range on Wednesday.
Named Rudrastra, this is a higher-range UAV that can penetrate deeper into enemy territory and come back to the original launch point. The current version has the capacity to hit troops and strike down armoured tanks. Sources said four players participated in the trials, and SDAL's UAV emerged successful.
The UAV has a real-time video link and can successfully return to the original launch point. The total range, including loitering at target, exceeded 170km with an estimated endurance of 1.5 hours.
Parameters like vertical take-off and landing, high endurance, precision targeting, and mission flexibility were evaluated during trials, said sources part of the development. One of the significant highlights was the successful deployment of a precision-guided anti-personnel warhead, which can target enemy troops.
Dropped from medium altitude, the munition executed an airburst detonation at low height.
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This achieved a lethal effect over a wide radius, meeting tactical effectiveness benchmarks, said a note about the trials.
The systems have been manufactured in Nagpur, and the next step would be to supply them to the army. Based on the requirement by the army, around 40 entities took part in the development. However, only four could come up with the final product for the trials.
The trials of Rudrastra follow the successful test-fire of the Bhargavastra — counter-drone system developed by SDAL held last month.
This is dubbed to be the cheapest system that can bring down drone swarms with mini missiles.
SDAL makes Nagastra Loitering Munition, which can carry up to 1.5 kg of payload and was also used in Operation Sindoor. Advanced versions of Nagastra are also being made as work on manufacturing Bhargavastra has also begun, said sources.
The Rudrastra was developed at SDAL's plant in Nagpur and an internal evaluation was conducted here before taking it to Pokhran.
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