Article Posted on : - Nov 17, 2009

Image Credit: Expressbuzz

NEW DELHI (BNS): An unmanned aerial vehicle (R-1-1) on a test-flight, lost direction and crashed into a farmland near Hosur in Krishnagiri district of western Tamil Nadu on Monday, a media report said.

The aircraft, developed by the defence ministry's Aeronautical Development Establishment, was being test-flown for research when the remote control device developed a snag leading to the crash.

The UAV took off from a private airstrip at Belagondapalli village, about 40 km from Bangalore, around 4.5 pm. After hovering over the private airstrip of Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Ltd. for a few minutes, the aircraft operated by remote control, lost direction and crashed onto an adjacent coconut farm, a report by the Times of India quoting an official of the private airstrip said.

“There was no casualty. Only the aircraft broke into pieces,” said Belagondapalli police inspector Saravanan.

Defence research and development organisation (DRDO) conducts regular trials of UAVs at Kolar and Hosur.

“Trials of the UAV have been going on at Hosur for many days without any technical hitch. On Monday, it crashed but it's not a major technical problem,” the daily quoted an aerospace expert as saying.

Parachutes help UAVs land by opening up if there is a technical failure. In this case, the UAV crashed as soon as its engine failed as the UAV was not of the parachute variety.

A UAV flies roughly over a distance of 10 km, scans the entire area and returns to base. Flight control is electronically controlled from a central control room. Trials are undertaken to ensure that UAVs meet their objectives of reaching the said distance, scanning the area and returning to base successfully. Its return is crucial as it carries images of the scanned area.