Orlan-10 Drone Detects ‘Terrorist’ Targets During Indo-Russian Indra-2016 Exercises

Russian and Indian infantry troops participating in the Indra-2016 military exercises currently in Russia deployed the Orlan-10 reconnaissance and surveillance drone to detet simulated terrorist groups.

"During the exercises, the Eastern Military District and Indian troops used Russian Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles to jointly learn to detect simulated illegal armed groups," Vladimir Matveev, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry's Eastern Military District said Tuesday.

Orlan-10 drones are designed to carry out remote surveying and can work to adjust fire or survey damages, as well as function as a connection repeater. The UAV has been used in Russia's counterterrorist aerial campaign in Syria.

The drones were used to draw up routes in order to organize a tactical advance and block the armed groups before destroying them, he added.

With the drills running through October 2, more than 500 servicemen, over 50 armored infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, tanks and multiple-launch rocket systems are taking part.

Russia and India have maintained a close partnership in military and technical cooperation for decades, and holding Indra drills since 2003. The exercises serve to facilitate cooperation and foster the exchange of relevant experience between the Indian and Russian armed forces.

Russia is holding simultaneous drills with Pakistan at a location in the northern part of Pakistan but not in the disputed region of Kashmir.

The Orlan-10 UAV payload includes a day-light camera, a thermal imaging camera, a video camera and a radio transmitter in a gyro-stabilised camera pod that is fitted under the fuselage. The cameras provide real-time intelligence, 3D maps, surveillance, and aerial reconnaissance of ground-based targets.

The imagery, video and other sensor data collected by the payloads is transmitted to the ground control station in real-time, through a data link.