EndureAir Systems‘ Vibhram rotary-wing small UAV, pictured above, has a maximum take-off weight of 12.5 kg. (EndureAir Systems)
Indian firm EndureAir Systems exhibited its indigenous ‘Vibhram' rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at the North Tech Symposium 2022, an annual event of the Northern Command of the Indian Army, held at Udhampur, in the territory of Jammu and Kashmir, from 6 to 7 May.
The Vibhram is a multirole UAV developed in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK). The UAV can be deployed in varied roles including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, medical supply, CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive) detection, crowd monitoring, radio relay, and search-and-rescue. The UAV airframe is constructed from composite materials and features a pod fuselage, which accommodates onboard sensors, powerplant, and primary payload. The UAV features a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor.
The UAV is characterised as being operable by a single operator. It can operate under wind conditions with heavy wind gusts of 24 kt (45 km/h; 28 mph) and temperature ranges of up to -20°C to 50°C (-4°F to 122°F). Vibhram has a maximum take-off weight of 12.5 kg (27.6 lb) while carrying a maximum payload of 5 kg (11 lb). Payloads for Vibhram can range from multispectral, CBRNE, LiDAR (light detection and ranging), and EO/IR (electro-optic/infrared) sensors. The UAV is powered by an internal combustion engine providing an endurance of 2 hours, a communication range of 8.1 n miles (15 km; 9.3 miles), and a video downlink range up to 5.4 n miles (10 km; 6.2 miles). The maximum speed for the UAV is reported to be 54 kt (100 km/h; 62 mph) while the operating altitude is reported to be 500 m (1,640 ft AGL).
Looking to read the full article?
Gain unlimited access to Janes news and more...
