Kapothaka was a technology demonstrator mini-UAV for reconnaissance. The Kapothaka (also spelled Kapothaha) which means “dove” is believed to be a predecessor of
Nishant UAV system.
History
Following the successful deployment of a remotely piloted vehicle by Israel during Lebanon war in 1982
Aeronautical Development Establishment
Aeronautical Development Establishment is a laboratory of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation. Located in Bangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karna ...
(ADE) undertook the development of a remotely piloted vehicle kapothaka in 1983 to develop the necessary technologies. During the next 4 years ADE developed a small RPV to validate in-flight video transmission capabilities and to implement ground take off and parachute recovery.
Characteristics
Kapothaka had an all-up-weight (AUW) of and was powered by an conventional twin boom configuration 26 bhp piston engine. It had a very small, low radar cross-section and was launched from a rail with rocket assistance. The system had a wingspan, a length of . Operating ceiling was . The integral wing-boom-tail unit was made of
Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastic (GFRP) material whereas the fuselage is a combination of aluminium and GFRP; the aircraft has an endurance of 90 minutes while carrying payload of and can achieve a speed of in flight. It is equipped with TV and panoramic cameras, providing real time imagery intelligence.
This programme enabled
ADE
Ade, Adé, or ADE may refer to:
Aeronautics
*Ada Air's ICAO code
* Aden International Airport's IATA code
*Aeronautical Development Establishment, a laboratory of the DRDO in India
Medical
* Adverse Drug Event
*Antibody-dependent enhancement
* A ...
to cut teeth on the intricacies of UAV design development and deployment. The endeavour culminated in successful demonstration of aerial reconnaissance using an RPV during
Operation Brasstacks
Operation Brasstacks was a major combined arms military exercise of the Indian Armed Forces in Rajasthan state of India, that took place from November 1986 to January 1987 near Pakistan border.
As part of a series of exercises to simulate th ...
in September 1987.
Indian Army, impressed by the unique capability provided by an RPV, formulated a "qualitative requirement" for a tactical UAV system for artillery leading to the development of
Nishant UAV system.
Specification
See also
*
DRDO Nishant
The DRDO Nishant is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by India's Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a branch of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Armed Forces. The Nishant UAV is primarily task ...
*
List of unmanned aerial vehicles
The following is a list of unmanned aerial vehicles developed and operated in various countries around the world.
Algeria
* AL fajer L-10
* Amel (UAV)
Argentina
* AeroDreams Chi-7 (AeroDreams)
* AeroDreams Strix Reconnaissance (2006)
...
References
{{Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
Unmanned aerial vehicles of India
Military equipment of India
Kapothaka