DefenceDRDOIndian Navy

DRDO, Indian Navy Showcase Ground-To-Sea Command And Control: Tapas UAV Takes Flight

Story Highlights
  • The Tapas UAV was made to meet the needs of the three services for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Tracking, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR).
  • The UAV can be controlled from a distance and can also follow pre-programmed flying plans on its own in a precise and adaptable way.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy were able to show off the transfer of command and control skills of the Tapas Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). This was a very impressive feat.

For the demonstration, the UAV was controlled from a ground station far away by someone on the warship INS Subhadra, which was 148 kilometers away from the Karwar navy base.

On June 16, 2023, the important event took place. The Tapas UAV worked perfectly during the test, which took place 20,000 feet above sea level. It flew for 3 hours and 30 minutes, and for 40 minutes, the INS Subhadra was in charge of the UAV’s activities.

The Tapas UAV left the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Chitradurga at 7:35 a.m. and traveled 285 kilometers to reach the navy base in Karwar.

In a statement, the DRDO said that on board the INS Subhadra, one Ground handle Station and two Ship Data Terminals were put in place to make it easier to handle the UAV. After the test went well, the Tapas UAV landed safely back at the ATR.

The TAPAS UAV has high-tech sensors and cameras that let it take high-resolution photos and movies. The information is sent to a ground control post so it can be analyzed further.

The DRDO made the Tapas UAV, which is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle that can fly up to 28,000 feet high and stay in the air for more than 18 hours. It flew for the first time at Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru earlier this year, which was a public event.

The Tapas UAV was made to meet the needs of the three services for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Tracking, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR). It can work well both during the day and at night. The UAV can be controlled from a distance and can also follow pre-programmed flying plans on its own in a precise and adaptable way.

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