Adani’s Drone Faces Setback, Crashes During Test Before Navy Delivery

Porbandar (Uttam Hindu News): A significant incident involving a military drone occurred off the coast of Porbandar, where the 'Drishti 10 Starliner' drone, being prepared for the Indian Navy, crashed during a test flight. The drone, manufactured by Adani Defense and Aerospace, was undergoing pre-delivery testing when the accident took place.

The 'Drishti 10 Starliner' is a medium-altitude, long-range drone developed in collaboration with Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems. The drone, which is 70% indigenous, is capable of flying for up to 36 hours and can carry a payload of up to 450 kilograms. It is primarily designed for surveillance and intelligence gathering. The Indian Navy had already inducted the 'Drishti 10' drone into its fleet, aimed at enhancing the surveillance, intelligence, and reconnaissance capabilities of both the army and navy. Each 'Drishti 10' drone is valued at approximately ₹145 crore.

Following the crash, the drone was recovered, and an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the incident. This accident comes just four months after an MQ-9B SeaGuardian drone also crashed in the Bay of Bengal due to a technical fault. Despite this setback, the Indian Navy remains committed to expanding and enhancing its maritime capabilities. In the coming months, the Navy is set to induct two new warships and one submarine into its fleet, including the Kalvari-class submarine 'Vagsheer,' the destroyer 'Surat,' and the frigate 'Nilgiri,' all built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai.

Additionally, the Indian Navy has signed an agreement with the United States to procure 31 MQ-9B drones to bolster its surveillance and reconnaissance operations, especially to monitor the growing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean region.