The Indian Army’s Northern Command has issued a global tender for procuring latest miniature unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for gathering intelligence and carry out scouting of areas along border with Pakistan and China.
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GoC-in-C) Northern Command has issued request for proposal (RFP) tender recently for procurement of 49 NK Mini-UAVs for the army units deployed in Northern Command theatre in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK), according to Outlook India.
The bids are invited from Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the Defence Procurement Manual 2009 or Permanent Registered Authorised Distributors of OEM, a senior officer of Electric and Mechanical Engineers (EMA) Branch at Northern Command Headquarter, said.
Mini UAVs, which will serve as an electronic eye to troops in most sensitive northern theatre, for gathering intelligence and carrying out reconnaissance of areas along LoC with Pakistan and Sino-India border in Ladakh besides some specialised counterterrorist operations in IHK.
As per its requirements, the army has specified that the mini UAVs should be complete in all aspects of electronic sensors, propulsion system, on-board camera, control mechanism, trans-receivers, re-chargeable batteries and packing case.
In the tender, the army has specified that the UAV should have the capability to take-off and land without needing any kind of runway besides it should have an auto pilot on board with mission pre-programming capability to undertake autonomous operation and return on base on its own.
The UAV would be less than 10 kg in weight and able to fly at the altitude of up to 1,000 metre from hand launch and safe landing without landing strip.
