New Delhi: India successfully test fired its first indigenously developed long range attack drone, KAL at a range in Pokhran, Rajasthan. It is a drone made by India’s defence technology firm IG Defence of Noida. This test is a major stride towards India’s efforts to develop indigenous unmanned weapons systems as opposed to relying on foreign countries, officials say.
The trial launch of the KAL drone took place from a special launch platform installed on a vehicle. A test was conducted to see if all the critical components of the drone, such as its body, engine, flight controls and navigation system, integrated properly. The company termed it a huge milestone in its quest of developing a long range strike drone with indigenous technology.
KAL is a member of a new class of weapons that are referred to as “one-way attack drones. Sometimes known as “kamikaze drones,” these are flown directly toward a target and are intended to crash. The drone’s range is 1,000 kilometres, its duration of flight is seven to eight hours and its payload is up to 50 kilograms. Can reach heights of up to 5,000 metres.
KAL is equipped with a satellite navigation system and its own navigation system, which can fly without human control. The firm claims that they can target enemy air-defence systems, radar stations and infrastructure with the drone.
Launching the drone from a vehicle, instead of a fixed base, is seen as an advantage. It effectively allows the system to be moved and utilised from various locations, making it difficult for an enemy to pinpoint.
The significance of such drones in today’s warfare has been demonstrated in the recent wars, Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya CEO of IG Defence said. He said that the design of KAL also took into account the requirement to fly for long ranges, operate independently, and be easily manufactured in India.
The drone also has the ability to interface with the company’s battle management system which is an AI system to assist in managing and sharing battlefield information among various unmanned weapons.
Now that KAL is ready, IG Defence reports that it can be taken on to the international market when given clearance from the Indian government. The drone has already caught the interest of some Gulf countries.
