Drishti-10

Last updated
Drishti-10 UAV
Drishti 10 UAV.jpg
A Drishti-10 UAV of the Indian Navy
Role Unmanned aerial vehicle
National origin India
ManufacturerAdani Aerospace and Defence
First flight9 February 2024 [1]
Introduction2024
StatusIn Service
Primary user Indian Navy

Indian Army

Produced2024-present
Number built22+
Developed from Elbit Hermes 900

The Drishti-10 Starliner is an Indian medium-altitude long-endurance UAV based on the Israeli Elbit Hermes 900, manufactured by Adani Defence and Aerospace for the Indian Armed Forces. [2]

Contents

The UAV reportedly has an indigenous content of over 70%. [3] [4]

Development

The medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle Drishti-10 Starliner is a 70 percent indigenously built version of Israel's Hermes 900—manufactured by Elbit Systems. The carbon composite aerostructures for Hermes 900 and Hermes 450 are manufactured at Adani Elbit UAV Complex at Hyderabad. The Hermes 900 is an advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform with 36 hours endurance and 450 kilogram payload capacity. It is an all-weather platform with NATO STANAG 4671 certification, which can be used to fly in both segregated and unsegregated airspace. [5] It has the capacity to fly over a distance of around 2,000 kilometres in one deployment. It was indigenously made in India with over 70 percent content after Adani Defence and Aerospace signed a deal with Elbit Systems for transfer of technology for drones from Israel to India. [6]

Operational history

Drishti 10 UAV in flight. Drishti 10 UAV in flight.jpg
Drishti 10 UAV in flight.

In December 2018, Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems India Ltd., a joint venture company between Adani Defence and Aerospace and Israel's Elbit Systems was formed. [7] A defense manufacturing facility was built in Hyderabad. [8] It was the only Hermes 900 production facility outside Israel. It was also India's first private UAV manufacturing facility. [9]

The inaugural Drishti-10 Starliner was flagged off by the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral R. Hari Kumar for the Navy in January 2024. The first UAV left from Hyderabad to Porbandar to be inducted into naval maritime operations. [10] [11] In February 2024, India exported 20 Hermes 900 UAVs to Israel. [7] [12]

The Indian Army's orders were expected to arrive within two to three months. [5] The Army official said that they plans to deploy it in the Punjab sector, including the desert sector and north of Punjab. [6] The first of the two drones ordered by the Army would arrive on 18 June 2024. [13]

Operators

Flag of India.svg  India

Flag of Israel.svg  Israel

Specifications

General characteristics

Performance

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IAI Heron</span> Long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle

The IAI Heron (Machatz-1) is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the Malat (UAV) division of Israel Aerospace Industries. It is capable of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) operations of up to 52 hours' duration at up to 10.5 km (35,000 ft). It has demonstrated 52 hours of continuous flight, but the effective operational maximal flight duration is less, according to payload and flight profile. An advanced version, the Heron TP, is also known as the IAI Eitan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elbit Systems</span> Israeli military technology company

Elbit Systems Ltd. is an Israel-based international military technology company and defense contractor. Founded in 1966 by Elron, Elbit Systems is the primary provider of the Israeli military's land-based equipment and unmanned aerial vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thales Watchkeeper WK450</span> Type of aircraft

The Thales Watchkeeper WK450 is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for all weather, intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) used by the British Army. It is provided under an £800 million contract with UAV Tactical Systems (U-TacS), a joint venture of Elbit and Thales UK, and is based on Elbit's Hermes 450.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elbit Hermes 450</span> Israeli military drone, 1998

The Elbit Hermes 450 is an Israeli medium-sized multi-payload unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed for tactical long endurance missions. It has an endurance of over 20 hours, with a primary mission of reconnaissance, surveillance and communications relay. Payload options include electro-optical/infrared sensors, communications and electronic intelligence, synthetic-aperture radar/ground-moving target indication, electronic warfare, and hyperspectral sensors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IAI Searcher</span> Type of aircraft

The IAI Searcher is a reconnaissance UAV developed in Israel in the 1980s. In the following decade, it replaced the IMI Mastiff and IAI Scout UAVs then in service with the Israeli Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DRDO Rustom</span> Type of aircraft

The DRDO Rustom is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned air vehicle (UAV) being developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation for the three services, Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force of the Indian Armed Forces. Rustom is derived from the NAL's LCRA developed by a team under the leadership of late Prof Rustom Damania in the 1980s. The UAV will have structural changes and a new engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IAI Eitan</span> Israeli unmanned reconnaissance aircraft

The IAI Eitan is an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft developed in Israel in the early 21st century by the Malat division of Israel Aerospace Industries. The aircraft is a newer version of the IAI Heron. Along with intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTR), Israeli IAI Eitan also capable of holding armed roles. All exports of the aircraft are unarmed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tata Advanced Systems</span> Indian aerospace and military manufacturer

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) is an Indian aerospace manufacturing, military engineering and defense technology company. It is a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, a holding company for the Tata Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selex ES Falco</span> Type of aircraft

The Falco is a tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed and produced by Selex ES. The UAV is designed to be a medium-altitude, medium-endurance surveillance platform capable of carrying a range of payloads, including several types of high-resolution sensors. A larger variant, the Falco EVO, is capable of carrying larger payloads is also available. Neither system is designed to carry weapons, The launch customer, Pakistan, reportedly wanted the Falco armed, a request that Italy rejected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IAI Bird-Eye</span> Type of aircraft

IAI Bird-Eye is a family of mini-UAVs developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Malat division. Designed for military and paramilitary intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elbit Hermes 900</span> Israeli military drone, 2009

The Elbit Systems Hermes 900 Kochav ("Star") is an Israeli medium-size, multi-payload, medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed for tactical missions. It is a successor to the Hermes 450 series of drones, one of the most widely used military drones in the world.

The Indian Air Force has been undergoing a modernization program to replace and upgrade outdated equipment since the late 1990s to meet modern standards. For that reason, it has started procuring and developing aircraft, weapons, associated technologies, and infrastructures. Some of these programs date back to the late 1980s. The primary focus of current modernization and upgrades is to replace aircraft purchased from the Soviet Union that currently form the backbone of the Air Force.

The "Pawan" is a joint venture unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) project being developed by India's ADE, a division of DRDO and the Israel Aircraft Industries, for the Indian Armed Forces which began in 2006. The Pawan will be comparable in size and capabilities to Israel's Elbit Hermes 180, EyeView and Silver Arrow drones. The 120-kilogram Pawan will have day-and-night surveillance capability, an endurance of five hours and a range of 150 kilometers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adani Enterprises</span> Indian multinational holding company

Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) is an Indian multinational publicly-listed holding company and a part of Adani Group. It is headquartered in Ahmedabad and primarily involved in mining and trading of coal and iron ore. Through its various subsidiaries, it also has business interests in airport operations, edible oils, road, rail and water infrastructure, data centers, and solar manufacturing, among others.

IAI-HAL NRUAV is a unmanned rotorcraft project being co-developed by Malat Solutions, a unit of IAI of Israel, and HAL of India for the Indian Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TAPAS-BH-201</span> Indian unmanned aerial vehicle

The Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance-Beyond Horizon-201 or TAPAS BH-201 is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) being developed in India by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) on the lines of General Atomics MQ-1 Predator.

References

  1. "Indian Navy's Drishti 10 Drone Undertakes Maiden Flight". Western Naval Command. 9 February 2024.
  2. "India's first indigenously manufactured UAV 'Drishti 10 Starliner' flagged off". Hindustan Times. 2024-01-10. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  3. https://www.adani.com/Newsroom/Media-Release/Navy-chief-unveils-first-indigenously-manufactured--Drishti-10-UAV-of-Adani-Defence-and-Aerospace
  4. Philip, Snehesh Alex (2019-02-22). "Adani enters the UAV race with a 60% made-in-India drone". ThePrint. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  5. 1 2 Peri, Dinakar (2024-01-10). "Autonomous systems becoming preferred choice in Order of Battle for nations across the globe: Navy Chief". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  6. 1 2 "Drishti-10 drones: Indian Army to deploy Drishti-10 drones near Pakistan border in Punjab". The Economic Times . 15 January 2024. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  7. 1 2 Ramachandran, R (17 April 2024). "India's Refusal to Back UN Arms Embargo on Israel May Be Linked to Adani Drone Exports". The Wire. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  8. DH Web Desk. "India sends Adani-made drones to Israel; 5 things to know". Deccan Herald . Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  9. 1 2 "In A First, India Delivers Made-In-Hyderabad Hermes Drones To Israel". NDTV . 9 February 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 Livemint (2024-01-10). "Adani Group unveils first indigenously manufactured Drishti 10 UAV". www.livemint.com. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  11. 1 2 "Adani Group Unveils India's First Medium Altitude, Long Endurance Drone". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  12. Desk, Online (2024-04-09). "Amidst war in Gaza, Adani-Elbit exporting drones to Israel: Reports". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  13. "Army To Get Drishti-10 Drones To Boost Surveillance On Pak Border: Report". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  14. "Navy gets first India-made long endurance Drishti 10 Starliner drone". India Today. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  15. "India's first indigenously manufactured UAV 'Drishti 10 Starliner' flagged off". Hindustan Times. 2024-01-10. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  16. "India orders Hermes 900 for army, navy". Janes.com. Retrieved 2024-01-11.