SWITCH UAV-World’s most customizable UAV | UPSC
HEADLINES:
Army inks $20 mn deal with ideaForge for UAV
WHY IN NEWS:
‘Indigenous technology for surveillance’
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Defence
ISSUE:
- Indian army will procure undisclosed quantities of a high-altitude variant of SWITCH UAV, an indigenous system used in surveillance operations.
SWITCH UAV
- SWITCH UAV is an indigenous system built to cater to the most demanding surveillance operations of the Indian forces.
- UAV player ideaForge has been awarded this one-year contract after it qualified the operational requirements in an evaluation done in real-world conditions.
- The contract marks a strategic shift in the Indian defence procurement process.
- SWITCH UAV is a first of its kind VTOL and fixed wing hybrid Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
SWITCH UAV-World’s most customizable UAV
OVERVIEW
- SWITCH features advanced flight time, higher safety and simple operation with additional fail-safe redundancies.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Endurance : > 120 minutes
- Range (LoS): 15 km
- Weight: < 6.5 kg
- Wind Resistance: Up to 10.8 knots or 20 km/h
- Vehicle Size: ~ 2.6 m x 1.8 m
- Ingress Protection: IP53 Rated for Dust & Water Resistance
- Max Launch Altitude: 4000 m AMSL
- Max Operating Altitude: 1000 m AGL
APPLICATION
- ANTI TERROR : Detect threats and identify risk-prone areas from a remote location.
- BORDER SECURITY : Conduct reconnaissance missions and track illegal activities without risking lives
- COUNTER INSURGENCY : Conduct surveillance and gather actionable intelligence
- CRIME CONTROL : Enhance law enforcement with remote situation assessment and crime scene analysis.
- CROWD MONITORING : Detect irregular activity and gain in-depth situational awareness.
- DISASTER MANAGEMENT : Gain real-time knowledge of the situation and plan search and rescue operations effectively
- FOREST & WILDLIFE : Track criminal activity and boost conservation efforts
- TRAFFIC MONITORING : Analyze and control traffic movement and respond to emergencies more effectively
- PRECISION AGRICULTURE : Analyze crop growth pattern and inspect crops for diseases quickly
- CONSTRUCTION & REAL ESTATE : Inspect buildings, bridges, rail lines and other infrastructure without scaffolding or booms.
- INDUSTRIAL ASSET INSPECTION : Examine solar farms and detect anomalies with fewer or no personnel
- MINING : Use aerial surveys and photogrammetry to improve blast optimization
FAIL-SAFE FEATURES
- Multiple GPS for redundancy
- Return home on low battery
- Return home on high winds
GROUND CONTROL STATION (GCS) FEATURES
ideaForge
- Founded in 2007 by IIT-Bombay alumni, the organization has a consistent market share of over 90% in Security & Surveillance segment.
- The organization is a licensed manufacturer of UAVs approved by Ministry of Defence (MoD).
IASbhai WINDUP:
- ideaForge is the first organization to indigenously develop and manufacture Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) UAVs in India.
- It is the pioneer in the UAV industry in India and has multiple IPs to its credit, including the then world’s lightest autopilot in 2009.
- Currently, the organization has deployed over 1000 systems and has trained over 1400 pilots in services including Indian Army, Navy, Air-Force, all CAPFs (CRPF, BSF, NSG, etc).
SOURCES: PIB | SWITCH UAV-World’s most customizable UAV | UPSC
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