New Delhi, 6 September (HS): After the Russia-Ukraine war, many countries in the world have understood the importance of drones, and for the last few years, their popularity has increased rapidly all over the world. Many countries, including India, have started making drones themselves, which will increase the strength of the country. Drone technology has revolutionised the military sector in India. India’s drone industry will witness a live aerial demonstration at the Air Force’s Hindon airbase on September 25–26.
The Indian Armed Forces use remotely piloted aircraft extensively for intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance operations. Within two years, the use of drones in India as well as its confidence in their development potential have been born out of initiatives such as the Meher Baba Swarm Drone Competition. The competition was named in honour of the late Air Commodore Mehar Singh. Preparations are also going on for the third phase of this competition using indigenous capabilities.
The Meher Baba Swarm Drone Challenge, first launched in October 2018, aimed to encourage the development of swarm drones for use across various domains, including response to disaster relief operations. The second edition of the ‘Mehar Baba’ Swarm Drone Competition was launched on April 6, 2022, for startups to develop swarm drone-based systems. To leverage its rich experience in using these unmanned platforms, the Air Force is partnering with the Drone Federation of India to co-host ‘Bharat Drone Shakti 2023’.
According to Air Force Wing Commander Ashish Moghe, on September 25 and 26, the event will be held at the Air Force’s Hindon (Ghaziabad) airbase, where the Indian drone industry will conduct live aerial demonstrations. It will feature over 50 live aerial demonstrations showcasing the full potential of the Indian drone industry, including survey drones, agricultural drones, fire suppression drones, tactical surveillance drones, heavy-lift logistics drones, and loitering munition systems.
According to Wing Commander Moghe, the event is expected to attract around 5,000 people, including the Central Government, State Departments, public and private industries, armed forces, paramilitary forces, representatives of friendly countries, academicians, students, and drone enthusiasts. Most importantly, ‘Bharat Drone Shakti’ will boost India’s commitment to become a global drone hub by 2030.
Hindusthan Samachar/ Indrani
