Indian DRDO Succesfully Tests Micro Air Vehicles And Mini UAVs

The Indian DRDO has conducted flight trials of Micro and Mini Air Vehicles at Hoskote, near Bangalore. Three Micro Air Vehicles named Black kite, Golden Hawk & Pushpak with sizes ranging from 300 to 450 mm and weighing between 300gm to 500gm and endurance of 30 minute flights while carrying a miniature daylight video camera were tested. Two mini UAVs called Imperial Eagle and Sly Bird weighing under 2 kilos and carrying either a daylight camera or thermal night vision camera (one at a time) as payload were also tested. The compact vehicles were built to be carried as a soldier’s backpack which can be hand launched and recovered through soft landing from Sea level to 14,000 Feet. The fully autonomous vehicles have been programmed with way point navigation and the way points can also be changed through tele-command during the flight. With a ground tracker system, it is capable of providing continuous imagery of the on-board camera irrespective of the attitude of the aircraft. DRDO spokesperson Ravi Kumar Gupta told Defenseworld.net that the flight tests had been on for several years, and with yesterday's tests, the program was considered successful.