The FlyEye mini-UAV will be offered to the Indian army by Kadet Defence Systems in partnership with WB Electronics of Poland. (Photo: WB Electronics)
An Indian
Army requirement for approximately 600 sets of mini-UAVs is attracting interest from
various manufacturers, who must partner with Indian companies to comply with
the government’s “Make in India” industrial strategy. The Directorate General
of Infantry has issued a request for information (RFI) that will be followed by a
request for proposals by late 2016.
Indian companies will make the bids. The OEMs include two Israeli
companies: Aeronautics, maker of the Orbiter mini-UAV, and Elbit Systems, maker of
the Skylark. Aeronautics' partner is not yet known, while Elbit might team with
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
AeroVironment will co-develop the Cheel—a
version of the Puma—with Dynamatic Technologies. Boeing is with Tata Advanced
Systems and might offer the Scan Eagle.
Meanwhile, AIN has learned that WB Electronics of Poland has signed an
exclusive teaming agreement with Kadet Defence Systems, which has supplied
aerial targets to the Indian Army in the past. The team will offerWB’s FlyEye
system that is already in service with the Polish Army but also plans to
develop and manufacture a range of UAVs
in India.
To be compliant, mandatory features for each
system includes three UAVs; a
man-portable ground control station; launch and recovery systems where
required; three sets of sensor packages with an all-weather day and night
capability; two-way data relay (including beyond-line-of-sight control of the UAV); spare batteries for theUAVs and
battery chargers.
According to Avdhesh Khaitan, CEO of Kadet Defence Systems, Indian
manufacturers have previously integratedUAVs, but two-thirds of the parts
were imported, including propulsion, gimbals, cameras and batteries. He toldAIN that WB Electronics is a vertically integrated
company, which will therefore “give us an advantage with a single source access
to parts. There is a provision in our agreement that includes transfer of
technology for airframes, electronics, software and gimbals,” he added. The
agreement includes WB’s entire
product range, which also includes VTOL and larger UAVs, and
loitering munitions.
The Indian Navy and Coast Guard also intend to
acquire smaller UAVs. The Directorate of Naval Air
Staff has issued an RFI for 50 ship-borne UAVs for ISR, monitoring sea lines of
communications, search and rescue and anti-piracy roles. Kadet will offer the
FlySAR UAV that WB Electronics developed for a Polish
mini-synthetic aperture radar test program.
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