Aerospace Diary

By  Neelam Mathews   Nov 5, 2015 India’s own MALE UAV is shown during recent taxi trials. It is named Rustom-2 after an Indian aeronautical scientist. (Photo: HAL) The Rustom-2 medium altitude long endurance (MALE) unmanned air vehicle (UAV) designed by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization   (DRDO) will make its first flight by early next month. Delayed by around two years, Rustom-2 “is at an advanced state of readiness,” according to Ashok Rangan, the program director at the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a DRDO laboratory that develops and transfers technology to a production agency. The project was   first shown   as a full-scale model at the Aero India show in 2010. Rangan told   AIN   that Rustom-2 is benefiting from experience gained with the Rustom-1, also known as the Light Canard Research Aircraft (LCRA). This project of the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) developed a small UAV tha...

AIN DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE  »  SEPTEMBER 27, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS This full-scale model of the Rustom 2 Male UAV being developed by the DRDO was displayed at the 2010 Aero India event. September 27, 2013, 1:00 PM India’s own medium-altitude long-endurance (Male)  UAS  has experienced another delay, with first flight now expected toward the end of next year. A senior official from the Defense Research Development Organization ( DRDO ) told  AIN  that the Rustom-2 project has suffered from lack of access to technology for sensors and engines. “Requirements for  ISR  are huge in India, given threats from the border. However, Hale, micro and nano  UAV s require powerful algorithms. That is where we require help,” added  V.S.  Chandra Shekhar, associate director of the  DRDO ’s Aeronautical Development Establishment ( ADE ). Shekhar said that taxi trials of the Rustom-2 are now sche...