Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Indian Air Force (IAF), the air arm of Indian Armed Forces, leverages a comprehensive array of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones to enhance its reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting capabilities. Here's a breakdown of the top six drones employed by the India Army.
The Searcher Mk II, a versatile medium-range UAV, excels in surveillance, reconnaissance, and target acquisition. With a range of 300 km and an operating altitude of 7 km, it is equipped with day and night vision sensors for real-time video and imagery transmission.
Harpy, an Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) creation, is a UAP engineered specially for the suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD). This specialized drone is specifically designed to target radar systems and is equipped with a high-explosive warhead.
Operating at medium altitude with long endurance, the Heron UAV is a key asset for reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition. Boasting a range of 350 km and an altitude capability of 9 km, it features synthetic aperture radar and electro-optical/infrared sensors for real-time data transmission.
The Nishant UAV, falling within the medium-range category, is autonomous and serves the purposes of reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition. With a range of 100 km and an operational altitude of 3.5 km, it utilizes a day/night camera system for real-time video and imagery transmission.
As a micro-UAV, the Panchi specializes in surveillance and reconnaissance, offering a range of up to 10 km and an altitude capability of 1.5 km. It employs a day/night camera system for transmitting real-time video and imagery.
The Netra UAV, compact and portable, serves the Indian Army in surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Covering a range of 2 km and operating at an altitude of 200 meters, it is equipped with a day/night camera for real-time video and imagery transmission.