Page 7 - Drones

China-made drone recovered in border area of Punjab's Tarn Taran: BSF

Notably, this is the third Chinese drone that the security forces have recovered in the district since last week

US, India in talks for $3.99 billion MQ-9B drone deal. Details here

The drones, intended for maritime roles, will be stationed at three hubs, including INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu

DoT plans trials for drone & balloon-based 5G restoration during disasters

The Department of Telecommunications will likely conduct trials in the coming months to assess the effectiveness of this initiative

Amazon expanding US drone service after regulator's nod to fly devices

Prime Air was slow to launch. A Bloomberg investigation in 2022 revealed that the program was beset by technical challenges, high turnover and safety concerns

Govt needs to further expand PLI scheme to make India 'Global Drone Hub'

The government needs to expand the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme and develop an ecosystem to realise the goal of making India a global drone hub, a report said. An incentive of Rs 120 crore spread over three financial years was provided for Indian manufacturers of drone and drone components under the PLI Scheme notified on September 30, 2021. As per the Ministry of Civil Aviation projections, the Indian drone manufacturing industry is expected to reach Rs 900 crore by 2025 from just Rs 60 crore in 2020-21, according to a study conducted by Nexgen Exhibitions. It also noted that the Indian drone market is expected to grow at 22.15 per cent CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) during the 2024-30 period. With innovation and expansion of its application portfolio, India has the potential of becoming the global drone hub by 2030, it stated. The study highlighted that the key to realising India's vision lies in boosting the domestic drone ecosystem. Other major factors are th

Marut Drones, Iffco team up for spray ops in 500,000 acres in AP, Telangana

Marut Drones on Thursday said it has tied up with cooperative fertiliser major IFFCO to undertake drone spray operations in five lakh acres of farmland in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Under the terms of the agreement, Marut Drones will be employing state-of-the-art drone technology to administer a range of agricultural inputs developed by IFFCO agri-products, an official statement said. This initiative aims to optimise crop yields while minimising environmental impact, ultimately contributing to sustainable agricultural practices. Marut Drones co-founder and CEO Prem Kumar said: "The utilisation of drones addresses labour shortages by completing tasks in a fraction of the time it would take manually, significantly enhancing operational efficiency". By providing drones as a service for farmers, this collaboration empowers local communities and fosters self-employment opportunities, the company said.

Drone Destination partners Iffco for spraying agri products on 3 mn acres

Drone company Drone Destination on Monday said it has signed an agreement with cooperative major IFFCO for spraying agricultural products on up to 30 lakh acres of farm land. According to company officials, under the agreement Drone Destination could get paid in the range of Rs 400 to Rs 800 per acre at prevailing market rates, implying that the deal will fetch a revenue of Rs 120 crore in the lower price band and up to Rs 240 at upper price band. "We have secured a mandate for agri spray over 30 lakh acres. The prevailing market rate of such agri spray is in the range of Rs 400-800 per acre depending upon the region and the crop," Drone Destination managing director and CEO Chirag Sharma said. As part of the agreement, Drone Destination will undertake drone spray in 12 states across the country. These states include Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand. "We are elated to partner wit

Chennai-based The ePlane to develop electric air taxi prototype by Mar 2025

Chennai-based startup The ePlane Company expects to develop a certifiable prototype of a flying electric taxi by March next year as it works on ways to alleviate urban congestion. Incubated out of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, the company also aims to initially commercialise its drones that can carry a payload of 2-6 kilograms in the coming months, according to a senior executive. The ePlane Company's Founder and CEO Satya Chakravarthy said it is developing an eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircraft and to begin with, it will be a three or four-seater plane which can be converted into an air ambulance. "By March next year is when we expect to develop the first certifiable prototype. It will take another couple of years to get the certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)," Chakravarthy told PTI. As per the startup's website, an ePlane will take only 14 minutes to reach a place that will take 60 minutes by a personal vehic

Govt extends approval for use of drones for spraying pesticides for 1 year

'The drone technology helps in immense water savings along with being a step towards precision agriculture,'

Defence space startups need boost from forces, industry to hit higher orbit

Armed forces personnel, space & defence industry heads and sector experts came together at Indian Space Association's Indian DefSpace Symposium 2024 to find ways to bolster defence-space capabilities

Differentiated regulations for civilian and defence use of drones on cards

Drone (Amendment) Rules 2023, had done away with several roadblocks, like stringent requirements for obtaining a Remote Pilot Certificate

Govt looking at differentiated regulated framework for civilian use drones

The civil aviation ministry will look at having a differentiated regulatory framework for drones used for civilian and industrial purposes, a senior official said on Tuesday as he pitched for indigenous development of the drone ecosystem. Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam also emphasised that the government will make efforts to promote drones as well as push advanced air mobility. Speaking at the national conference on drones in the national capital, he said that "much has been done and more will be done" on the regulations for drones. The ministry is looking at having a differentiated regulatory framework for civilian and industrial drones, he noted. A Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for drones and drone components was notified in September 2021. An incentive of Rs 120 crore is being provided for Indian manufacturers of drone and drone components on the basis of value addition and certain other conditions. At the conference organised by industry body CII, Vual

Russia restoring crude oil refining capacity knocked out by drones

Ukraine stepped up drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure since start of year, hitting some major oil refineries across world's second largest oil exporter in attacks that sent up oil prices

Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles, 99% intercepted: Israel

Booms and air raid sirens sounded across Israel early Sunday after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East closer to a regionwide war. A military spokesman said the launches numbered more than 300 but 99% of them were intercepted. Calling the outcome a very significant strategic success, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Iran fired 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles. Of those, several ballistic missiles reached Israeli territory, causing minor damage to an air base. Rescuers said a 7-year-old girl in a Bedouin Arab town was seriously wounded in southern Israel, apparently in a missile strike, though they said police were still investigating the circumstances of her injuries. In Washington, President Joe Biden said U.S. forces helped Israel down nearly all the drones and missiles and pledged to convene allies to develop a unified response. The Irania

Massive air strike destroys one of Ukraine's largest power plants

A massive missile and drone attack destroyed one of Ukraine's largest power plants and damaged others, officials said Thursday, part of a renewed Russian campaign targeting energy infrastructure. The Trypilska plant, which was the biggest energy supplier for the Kyiv, Cherkasy and Zhytomyr regions, was struck numerous times, destroying the transformer, turbines and generators and leaving the plant ablaze. As the first drone approached, workers hid in a shelter, saving their lives, said Andrii Gota, chairman of the supervisory board of the state company that runs the plant, Centrenergo. They watched the plant burn, surrounded by dense smoke and engulfed in flames. It's terrifying, said Gota. Hours later, rescuers were still dismantling the rubble. Speaking in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin cast the attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities as a response to Ukrainian strikes that targeted Russian oil refineries. The Trypilska plant supplied electricity to 3 million customers

Russia launches 24 attack drones in Ukraine, hits critical infrastructure

Currently, there is a direct threat of air pollution, so it is recommended to stay indoors with closed windows." Officials provided no further details

Drone attack on Russia's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant increases accident risk

The head of the UN's atomic watchdog agency said Sunday a drone attack on one of six nuclear reactors at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident." In a statement on the social media platform X, Rafael Mariano Grossi confirmed at least three direct hits against ZNPP main reactor containment structures took place. This cannot happen, he said. He said it was the first such attack since November 2022, when he set out five basic principles to avoid a serious nuclear accident with radiological consequences. In a separate statement, the IAEA confirmed physical impact of drone attacks at the plant, including at one of its six reactors. One casualty was reported, it said. "Damage at unit 6 has not compromised nuclear safety, but this is a serious incident with potential to undermine integrity of the reactor's containment system it added. Officials at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant said that

Israel army dismisses 2 officers over drone strikes on aid workers in Gaza

The Israeli military said an internal probe found its forces had mistakenly believed they were "targeting armed Hamas operatives"

Defence major Israel Aerospace Industries opens Indian subsidiary in Delhi

Aerospace and defence company, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), has opened its Indian subsidiary in New Delhi, according to an official statement. IAI made the announcement at an event held here. The opening of AeroSpace Services India (ASI) is in sync with the Indian government's vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Make in India', it said. "This also shows the commitment to a strong partnership between IAI and DRDO in developing and supporting advanced systems for the Indian armed forces," the statement said. AeroSpace Services India is the "sole authorised OEM's Technical Representative for the entire Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) system," it said. "IAI proudly presentsI as our first major milestone towards India's Atmanirbhar Bharat vision on self-reliance. India and Israel's partnership has witnessed state-of-the-art achievement. This growth and development will create history when our two nations will foster IAI's technology and India's talent and expertise in

Drones key to gain advantage over Russia, says Ukraine's army chief

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as part of his military reforms ordered in February the creation of a separate branch of Ukraine's armed forces devoted to drones