STATE TIMES NEWS
LEH: The Indian Army on Tuesday started a two-day ‘drone-a-thon’ to revolutionise the operations and provide tactical superiority in difficult terrains.
“In a bold stride towards redefining military capabilities in high-altitude environments, the Indian Army, in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), conducted the highly anticipated HIM-DRONE-A-THON 2,” officials said.
They said this “pioneering initiative” the power of cutting-edge indigenous technology, focusing on enhancing operational efficiency and tactical superiority in some of the most challenging terrain on the planet through the use of drones within the ambit of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
“Drones are increasingly playing a significant role in modern warfare as seen in recent conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. The roles are expanding across various domains to include surveillance, logistics, precision strikes, communication etc. Their growing role reflects their versatility, effectiveness and potential to transform military operations,” the officials said.
The drone-a-thon is being conducted in Ladakh at altitudes exceeding 15,000 feet, and offers an exclusive platform for over 20 drone manufacturers to showcase a spectrum of drone solutions designed for high-altitude.
“All participants were felicitated for their innovations and participation. Special recognition was given to the winners in the logistics and FPV categories. These products spanned across domains of surveillance, logistics, swarm and FPV (first-person view) operations,” they added.
The extreme terrain of Ladakh provided an authentic test-bed for validating the performance and global applicability of these systems, opening doors for India to become a key player in the global drone industry, the officials said. The event gave an opportunity to the Indian Army to shortlist a number of products for potential procurement while improvements were also recommended for a few products. The event was part of the Indian Army’s vision for 2024 as the ‘Year of Technology Absorption’, highlighting the essential role that drone technology will play in future military operations.
