DRDO to transfer technology of TAPAS BH-201 MALE UAV to Indian Pvt sector companies

Source : Indian Defence Updates (IDU)

TAPAS Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV (Formerly Rustom-II)

DRDO to select a new private sector production partner for the TAPAS Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone after it clears user trials which is currently manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics and Bharat Electronics Limited.

Allowing private sector companies to take over the production of the TAPAS drone with Transfer of Technology will speed up the production of the UAV.

Many private sector companies including Larson and Toubro (L&T) have also expressed interest in many of the systems and subsystems that have been developed for the TAPAS program for utilizing them in their Medium Altitude and High Altitude Long Endurance UAV programs.

L&T had announced recently that the company is investing 15% of its cash earnings in aerial drones and autonomous underwater vehicles and is developing large drones that will have an endurance of 72 hours.