The story so far - India’s National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) has created a ‘Kamikaze’ unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with an indigenous engine, providing a 1000 km range. The Kamikaze drone is designed to strike the targets precisely and can continuously hover above targets for up to 9 hours. These ‘do-and-die’ drones are widely regarded as a major breakthrough in Indian defense technology.
How are the Indian kamikaze drones designed? The drones weigh about 120 kg, are approximately 2.8 meters in length, and have a wingspan of 3.5 meters. They are capable of travelling up to 180 km/h, thanks to the 30-horsepower Wankel Engine developed by NAL. The Wankel Engine enables the drone to carry 100-120 kg, including 30-40 kg of explosives, making them extremely lethal.
What are its enhanced features? The drones are capable of operating in areas where GPS is not available, which is one of their key features. Equipped with the Indian NAViC system, these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can navigate and identify targets in regions where GPS signals are disrupted or non-existent. This capability greatly enhances their operational flexibility, allowing them to be used in various combat scenarios. With a nine-hour endurance, the drones will be able to stay above an enemy target location for extended periods.
A Collaborative effort. The development of indigenous drones is part of a larger initiative led by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Major engineering laboratories from around the nation participate in CSIR-NAL, which acts as the nodal laboratory. The objective is to meet the needs of India's national security by creating defense technology that is dependable and strong enough to be used in a wide range of conflict situations.
The Director of NAL, Dr. Abhay Pashilkar, stated “India is developing these fully indigenous kamikaze drones; they are a game-changing 21st-century new-age war machine. Such drones deployed by other nations have shown great potential in the modern ongoing wars elsewhere.”
