Tapas drones have yet to meet all the requirements of the defence forces during trials, the DRDO is committed to advancing the project
In a significant boost for indigenous weapon systems, the Indian Navy is set to place an order for four Tapas drones, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). These drones are intended for surveillance operations over the maritime zone, according to defence officials .
“The Indian Navy is going to order four Tapas drones and it is going to use them for maritime surveillance operations,” the officials said. The manufacturing will be handled by a consortium of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The delivery of the drones is expected to be expedited, with the first unit ready within 24 months of signing the contract. Existing prototypes will be used for further trials and capability enhancements.
Although the Tapas drones have yet to meet all the requirements of the defence forces during trials, the DRDO is committed to advancing the project. The medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) drones developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment Laboratory have not fully met the Joint Services Qualitative Requirements of flying at 30,000 feet for over 24 hours. Consequently, they have been excluded from the category of mission mode projects.
During trials, the Tapas drones reached an altitude of 28,000 feet and sustained flights for over 18 hours. In one notable trial, Indian Navy officials operated a drone over the Arabian Sea for several hours after it took off from an airfield in Chitradurga, Karnataka.
The Tapas drones’ runway requirements are modest, allowing them to operate from small airfields in island territories and the mainland, making them versatile for various operational environments.