NITI Aayog Member Says Centre Strengthening Roadmap For Combat Drones
The Centre is in the process of strengthening a roadmap to develop capabilities in the field of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), also known as combat drones, according to NITI Aayog member V K Saraswat. He also said that combat drones would play an important role in ‘contactless wars’ in future.
The former head of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), Saraswat said that all future vehicles will be miniaturised. India has currently developed a functional combat drone called the Rustom and is in the process of developing the AURA, an autonomous, stealthy combat drone. The country is also in talks with Israel to procure more of its Heron drones.
We want smart systems and it can only be possible by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a big way. There is need to pursue research in hypersonics, propulsion, stealth and other technologies.V K Saraswat
India currently has three models of the Israel Aerospace Industries’ combat drones – the Heron, Harop and Harpy – and has been in talks with the United States to purchase the Avenger predator drones.