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DRDO Successfully Carries out Test flight of Indigenous Rustom-2 Drone with High-Power Engine

Rustom-2
The new indigenously built drone has the capability to replace precision drones imported from the United States of America and Israel.
Rustom-2
The new indigenously built drone has the capability to replace precision drones imported from the United States of America and Israel.

New Delhi: Giving a big push to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ plan, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Sunday successfully flew its Rustom-2 at its Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) at Chalakere in Chitradurga district of Karnataka.

This flight assumes significance as it is the first flight in user configuration with higher power engine, an official statement said.

Rustom-2 can carry various equipment like synthetic aperture radar, electronic intelligence systems and situational awareness payloads.  When fully operational, the UAV will be used by Army, Navy and Air Force. The project had cost Rs 1,500 crore.

“DRDO successfully flew its Rustom-2 today at its Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) at Chalakere at Chitradurga. This flight assumes significance due to the fact that this is the first flight in user configuration with higher power engine,” a DRDO statement read.

A medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle, Rustom-2 is comparable to the American made Predator drone and can fly for 24 hours at stretch. This was the first flight of the UAV in user configuration with higher power engine.

It can conduct sustained surveillance and can carry weapons along with surveillance equipment.

Rustom-2 or TAPAS-BH-201 is designed to carry out surveillance and reconnaissance roles for the Indian Armed Forces. It is capable of carrying different combination of payloads including synthetic aperture radar, electronic intelligence systems and situational awareness systems. The UAV has an endurance of 24 hours and is similar to the American predator series of drones.

Rustom is derived from the NAL’s LCRA (Light Canard Research Aircraft) developed by a team under the leadership of late Prof Rustom Damania in the 1980s.

The new indigenously built drone has the capability to replace precision drones imported from the United States of America and Israel.