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The domestically designed and developed Tapas medium altitude long endurance drone has attracted significant interest from both the Indian Air Force and Navy. According to defence officials, both forces have held discussions regarding the capabilities and possible uses of the drone within the services with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Comprehensive discussions of the capabilities and uses of the Tapas drone took place during a recent meeting between DRDO and the military. In addition, the Indian Air Force has expressed to the DRDO its formal interest in conducting a more thorough investigation into the drone’s capabilities.
The Indian Navy is anticipated to test the Tapas drones in the Andaman and Nicobar Island region, highlighting the gravity of their interest. According to reports, the Navy will test two Tapas drones that DRDO has in stock. The results of these experiments will have a big impact on future procurement choices; if they are successful, the Indian Navy might acquire 10–12 drones.
Although showing interest, the Indian Air Force is more careful, saying it will conduct a thorough assessment of the Tapas drones’ capabilities. According to officials, the Air Force would be guided by many variables, such as performance metrics and other considerations, when making judgements about the acquisition of these domestic drones.
The DRDO has publicly denied claims that it has put on hold the Tapas drone project, despite recent rumours to the contrary. It has emphasised the Tapas drones’ importance in the nation’s defence strategy and reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out further development of the system.
The Aeronautical Development Establishment Laboratory’s Tapas drones have not, however, entirely complied with the Joint Services Qualitative Requirements. The project was disqualified from the mission mode project category due to these restrictions, which include flying at 30,000 feet for more than 24 hours at a time.
The Tapas drones proved their mettle during defense-force testing, ascending to a height of 28,000 feet and maintaining flying for more than 18 hours. Officials from the DRDO have acknowledged that more design and power upgrades are necessary to increase the drone’s suitability for the altitude and endurance service requirements.
The DRDO, led by Dr. Samir V Kamat, continues to be in charge of several significant drone initiatives, such as the creation of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) like Ghatak and Archer. These programmes demonstrate India’s commitment to developing its defence capabilities via in-house technology advancements.
