COUNTER DRONE TECHNOLOGY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: As per the report recently tabled by a parliamentary standing committee, the DRDO “is developing an indigenous counter-drone technology.

Counter Drone Technology

• About: The DRDO is currently in the process of developing an indigenous counter-drone technology. This technology boasts the capability to conduct counter-attacks, encompassing detection, soft kill, and hard kill functions against all types of drones.
• Demonstrations: The counter-drone system, having reached a state of readiness for production, has already been showcased to armed services and various internal security agencies as part of its demonstration phase.
• Technology Transfer: To facilitate the production of the counter-drone system, the technology has been successfully transferred to Bharat Electronics Limited, located in Bengaluru. This company serves as the designated production agency for the system.
• TAPAS Unmanned Aerial Vehicle: Developed for Intelligence in Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Target Acquisition (ISTAR), the Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle TAPAS is a notable achievement in DRDO's technological endeavors.
• Innovative Battery Development: The DRDO, in collaboration with a private vendor, has successfully developed a Lithium Ion-based battery with an indigenous battery management system. 

oThis cutting-edge battery technology is currently employed on the TAPAS UAV.