Indian Army displays 'Kamikaze' drone at IIT Jammu Expo

New Delhi [India], February 17 (ANI): The Indian Army on Monday displayed its advanced kamikaze drone at the Science and Technology Expo held at IIT Jammu, highlighting its surveillance and attack capabilities.
The drone can carry payloads of 150 to 300 grams. Its flight duration is 30 minutes without a mini drone and 15-20 minutes with a mini drone, which is used for carrying out kamikaze attacks.
Defence personnel at the expo shared the details and specifications of the drone. " We can carry RDX in this up to 150-300 g. Its duration time is 30 minutes, without mini drone and if mini drone is carried in this, then we can fly this up to 15-20 minutes. If the target is far away, we will fly the drone, once we find the target, we will make mini drone exit from this carrying the payload and crash it upon the target. This is known as 'suicide drone'," explained the defence personnel.
"The drone is equipped with a small camera; the drone could operate in both day and night conditions, with a zoom feature for better surveillance," added the defence personnel.
Earlier, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's video criticising the government's drone policy where he was seen showcasing what appeared to be a China-made drone has come in for severe criticism.
President of the Drone Federation of India Smit Shah said that it is quite discomforting for him and the community to see someone with significant responsibility to say that no one understands drone technology in India.
He further said that over 400 companies in our country and about 40 to 50 drone component companies are working very hard with all the challenges. Shah said that young people like him have to speak when someone with significant responsibility takes up a Chinese drone and belittles the entire industry.
"When someone with significant responsibility takes up a Chinese drone and belittles the entire industry, then young people like me have to speak up. There are over 400 companies in our country and about 40 to 50 drone component companies that are working very hard to deal with all these challenges," he said.
"And then someone whose personality is followed by at least some section of society comes and takes up a Chinese drone and says that we don't understand anything in India and none of these parts are made in India. So it is quite discouraging," he added.
Elaborating on the drone industry ecosystem, he said, "When we talk about drones, there are three aspects: regulation, technology, and adoption. Since 2021, the government has ensured that the policy and the regulation are the first aspects that are cleared."
"Handling a drone that belongs to DJI and is banned. I mean, it is a little uncomfortable for me and probably for the whole community," he added.
He further said, "In 2021, the government, with the support of the industry and academia, actively took a stance that we no longer believe that we are confused or we are looking at drones through the prism of confusion. We very clearly understand that drones are an opportunity."
"The technology has been used for quite some time now, but it has to be one of the most important technologies going forward, which is when there was a focus on making India a global drone hub," he added. He further said that so many companies are doing more than 60-70 per cent of components indigenously. (ANI)