Mumbai: Mumbai based start-up Jatayu Unmanned Systems successfully tested its indigenously manufactured Combat Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (CUAV) in a field test carried out in cooperation with the law enforcement agencies in Mumbai. A standard issue assault rifle weapon was live-fired mounted on a UAV platform.

According to the company statement, it has been producing drones for use in the military and referred to its CUAV as “India’s First Combat-Ready UAV”. It further added that the drone was designed and created locally utilising cutting-edge precision manufacturing methods. The Jatayu drone features a separate ground control station and may also be operated remotely through satellite. The UAV Jatayu Aim-X was showcased and launched at the Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 held in New Delhi earlier this year.

The company statement quoting Capt Aman Johri, Chief Executive Officer states:  “Jatayu Aim-X is a fully ‘Make in India’ UAV platform and has been built specifically for the Indian scenario.”

The company CEO, Aman Johri highlighting India’s need to be prepared for the emerging threats in the future, says that the UAV platform built locally will help in saving  critical lives on the frontlines. In the coming weeks, the company is set to test their platform with other units of the Indian Army.

The UAV has been under development since 2016 and previously it has been live-fired successfully during trials in collaboration with the Indian armed forces and has obtained an accuracy of 93 percent on target. Besides the military sector, the company statement has said that it’s all weather and all terrain drones are providing RPAS services in the civil activities like mapping drones, agriculture drones, and logistics drones.

Eyeing to position itself as a global drone hub by 2030, India needs around 100,000 drone pilots in coming years to achieve the milestone.