Foraying into drones, Beml makes an aerial statement

It was unusual to see a full-scale Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) showcased by a company known more for its earthmovers and Metro coach assemblies. But at the Aero India 2021, Bharat Earth Movers Limited (Beml) was emphatic in projecting its aerospace side.

Beml has taken a two-pronged approach in its foray into the versatile drone space: One, a partnership with the Czech innovation company Primoco UAV to jointly produce the Model One 150 with a 200 km range and payload capacity of 1-30 kg.

The UAV will be pushed in the surveillance, naval application and weather tracking market. The modalities are yet to be worked out, but this will be both for the Indian and export markets, a Beml official told DH.

Launched in 2014, the platform is ready. But Beml and Primoco will now work to amend it to Indian conditions. “We are now looking at trials by the potential customers. To explore the export potential, Beml’s market in 68 countries and other friendly countries will be looked at.”

India’s immediate requirement is for over 4,000 UAVs in the micro to weaponised categories, and Beml’s entry is expected to add to the variety. This dictated the company’s partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, for joint indigenous development of a Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA) and a tactical UAV.

The tactical UAV will have an endurance of eight hours, the longest in its class. The unmanned aircraft will be used in surveillance, reconnaissance and aerial mapping, both for civilian and military applications. “We are now developing a new prototype vehicle,” the official informed.