Two significantly different prototypes of India's SLYBIRD hand-launched mini-UAV during initial flights. The drone was revealed at Aero India earlier this month (and first here on Livefist). The National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), developer of the drone, says, "The 2-kg class mini-UAV is currently under development. The requirement is to fly with an endurance of 1 hour, a range of 10-km for both telemetry data/video imagery, and an altitude of 300 m above ground level (service ceiling of 15,000 ft). Initial flights of the mini-UAV are complete. The integration of an indigenous autopilot and daylight camera/IR camera is under progress."
http://livefist.blogspot.com/2011/02/photos-indias-hand-launched-slybird.html
well done..
) is intended for real-time telemetry and video surveillance using miniaturized electro-optic payloads or a daylight/IR video camera. The programme team intends to deliver a drone with capabilities and performance similar to the Israeli Elbit Skylark (being partnered by HAL in India) and the American AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven, demonstrated to the Army at Exercise Yudh Abhyas in 2009. SLYBIRD, first revealed earlier this year at Aero India 2011, is a major thrust area under the NP-MICAV (National Program on Micro Air Vehicles) jointly by DRDO-ADE, CSIR-NAL , IITs, IISc and National Design and Research Forum of the Institution of Engineers. Earlier this year, the National Aerospace Laboratory experimented successfully with a valved pulsejet engine on a miniature version of the Rustom-1 experimental drone. The development of man-portable tactical drones is aimed at the Army and paramilitary forces -- both have officially announced their interest in acquiring such a capability.
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