HAL, IAI ties to transform Chetak helicopter into UAV

HAL Rotor Wing Research & Development Centre (RWRDC) Design Chief Dr Prasad Sampath said that Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will convert the Chetak helicopter into an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). He was attending the 'Development of Helicopters in India - An Overview', at the Aero India 2009. He said that since the Chetak was already flying, he did not foresee any difficulties in converting it into a rotary-wing UAV, as all it required was integration of the command and control systems. HAL was also working on a 12-tonne class 'Indian Multi-role Helicopter, and that present estimates were that India has a requirement of 290 such machines. HAL was concentrating on helicopter design and production, and had established a separate helicopter complex within the company, with a separate managing director, Mr. Sampath added. Looking forward to the next 20 years, he said that while military helicopter requirements might decline, all indications were that demand for civil helicopters was all set to increase.