Flight test of DRDO’s indigenous power take off shaft on LCA Tejas successful; check details

The Defence Ministry stated on Tuesday that a successful flight test of the power take-off (PTO) shaft was conducted on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) Limited Series Production (LSP) - 3 aircraft in Bengaluru. 

The PTO shaft is indigenously designed and developed by the Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), Chennai of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), it said.

The PTO shaft is a critical part of the aircraft and will support the requirements of future fighter aircraft and their variants while offering competitive costs and reduced availability time. 

The ministry said, “With this successful test, the DRDO has achieved a greater technological feat by realisation of complex high-speed rotor technology, which only a few countries have achieved. The PTO shaft was designed with unique, innovative patented ‘Frequency Spanning Technique,’ which enables it to negotiate different operating engine speeds. The lightweight high, speed, lubrication-free PTO shaft transmits higher power between aircraft engine gearbox and Aircraft Mounted Accessory Gear Box while accommodating misalignments that arise in the drive line.”

Aeronautical Development Agency, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification, Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited teamed along with CVRDE to work on this initiative. 

The PTO shaft technology has already been transferred to Godrej & Boyce, and Lakshmi Technology and Engineering.  

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, PSUs and the Industry and said that the successful realisation of the PTO shaft is another significant milestone towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

Commenting on the development, Chairman of DRDO Samir V Kamat said that the success showcased the country’s research capability and will actively support the test aircraft programmes.

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