MAV photo: Bhaktar Babu/Bangalore Beat
By Anantha Krishnan M. | Aviation Week |
By Anantha Krishnan M. | Aviation Week |
Bangalore | India | August 18, 2010
India has set its sights on the emerging field of micro- and nano air vehicles with the formation of a joint National Program for Micro Air Vehicles (NP-MICAV).
The project is being sponsored by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Dr. Prahlada, chief of aeronautical research and development (R and D) at DRDO, told AVIATION WEEK that Rs 100 crore will be pumped into the program.
Eighty-two different projects will be taken up over the next five years. The program’s first phase will be completed in three years with Rs 88.36 crore in funding. The second phase — focusing on futuristic technologies — will take up the last two years and receive the remaining funds.
“It’s a huge task for all the agencies involved as the challenges grow, with the size becoming smaller and technologies hence becoming complex,” Dr. Prahlada says. “We are committed to our paramilitary forces including the Central Reserve Police Force, the Border Security Force, the National Security Guards and the police force. The DST will fund only R and D projects, while the DRDO will fund both R and D and project development.
