Article Posted on : - Jun 03, 2009

DRDO's Rustom UAV on dispaly. A File photo.

BANGALORE (BNS): Tata Advanced Systems Ltd, Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T), Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd have put in bids for the development and production of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), used in surveillance.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and Bharat Electronics Ltd have also submitted their bids on 15 May to the DRDO.

“Now, a technical evaluation will be done before identifying the lead partner,” said P.S. Krishnan, director of the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), the DRDO unit that has built drones such as Nishant for the military, as per media reports.

The medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) aircraft, named Rustom, will be designed to fly at least 250km at a stretch. The Indian government has allowed the development of the Rustom MALE UAV project in association with a production agency cum development partner (PADP).

India’s market for MALE UAVs, the class of drones used for surveillance, border patrolling and exploration, is expected to touch $800 million (Rs3,768 crore) by 2016, according to research firm Frost and Sullivan, as per the report.