Kanpur: Under DRDO’s Young Scientist Laboratory (DYSL-CT) project, an indigenous version of the Kamikaze drone (suicide drone) with capability to carry a warhead of up to 6 kg for up to 100 km has been developed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur.

The drones are equipped with stalled technology which enables them to escape radar identification, said Subramaniam Sadrala, Assistant Professor in the Aerospace Department of IIT Kanpur, speaking about the development of the drone.

The indigenously developed Kamikaze drone is 2 metres long and has a foldable fixed-wing design. It can also be equipped with cameras and infrared sensors. The drones can be launched from a catapult or canister launcher and are capable of neutralising enemy targets even in the absence of Global Positioning Support (GPS) support with the help of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled visual guidance system in the enemy territory. The battery-operated UAVs can deliver a payload of up to 100 km in 40 minutes, providing a boost to the offensive capabilities of the armed forces.

While traversing in the air, the IIT Kanpur-developed drone will be autonomous and also has the capability of making decisions based on an algorithm. The UAV can be operated from remote locations and can also deliver pictures of the enemy’s territory using the onboard high-resolution camera.

The drones will undergo target destruction trials in the next six months in the next phase of development. With all-weather and day-night operating capabilities, the drone is also capable of escaping enemy radar using stealth technology. The UAV comes with a maximum ceiling of 4.5 km.

Prof Sadrala, highlighting the importance of funds received through the defence corridor added that the development of the drone has been going on since last year under DRDO’s Young Scientist Laboratory (DYSL-CT) project and funding is key for the development of such high-end machines.