Bengaluru: As per a Hindustan Times Report, Rustom-2, a long endurance drone will be in air over 18 hours as it takes to the skies later this year in Karnataka’s Chitradurga. 

Moreover, it will be at a height of 27,000 feet. 

It is a Defence Research Development Organization-developed (DRDO) medium-altitude long endurance device. It is getting an upgrade. 

The drone, also known as Tapas-BH (Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance-Beyond Horizon 201), had completed its last flight test in October 2020 as it flew for around eight hours at almost 16,000 feet.

Reports add that the device, built indigenously is for strategic reconnaissance and surveillance operations and is touted as a “huge step” by government officials.

What is of greater concern is that building such hardware indigenously was nothing less than a challenger. So the production of such a drone is nothing less than a achievement. 

So such lagging behind only meant India had to depend on others for importing such devices. 

India has been giving a lot of emphasis on indigenous production. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday handed over the indigenously-built Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to the Indian Army.

On the occasion, Indian Army chief Gen MM Naravane and DRDO Chairman G Sateesh Reddy were also present. 

Designed, developed by DRDO’s Chennai-based Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment and manufactured by Avadi-based Ordnance Factory Board, the tank weighs 68 tonnes and features a 120mm main gun with 71 other upgrades. 

As per the report, a total of 118 Arjun tanks will be inducted into the army. 

The Ministry of Defence has approved the induction of 118 Arjun tanks worth Rs 8,400 crore. 

These tanks would form two regiments in the Armoured Corps and add to the first batch of 124 Arjun tanks which have already been deployed on the western deserts along the Pakistan front.