DRDO showcases Armed Archer Short Range UAV

Source : RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG.

Archer Short Range UAV armed with Anti tank missiles (Image Credit : DRDO)

At the inaugural session of the IAF Conclave in Bengaluru, DRDO showcased short-range weaponized Archer (SR-UAV ) based on the proven Rustom-1 configuration with upgraded avionics architecture. According to DRDO, Archer can be used to gather near-real-time, high-quality imagery and signals intelligence and can destroy the target of intent.

Archer can operate at an altitude up to 22000 ft with an endurance of 12 hours and a range of 220km with conventional and auto take-off landing features. DRDO plans to conduct the first flight of the Archer (SR-UAV ) in the coming weeks.

Archer UAV in Turbojet engine Configuration

In August, DRDO had floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) tender for 4 prototypes of Archer UAV that it plans to build with a Private Player. Archer drawings shown in the tender documents were or much smaller UAV that was to be powered by a Turbojet engine. Archer (Rustom-1) showcased by the DRDO seems to be integrated with indigenous fire and forget HeliNa missile that can hit ground objects at a distance of up to four km. 

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