Adani Defence and Aerospace has delivered a second Drishti 10 Starliner surveillance drone to the Indian Navy, boosting the Navy's capabilities to monitor shipping lines and mitigate piracy risks. The first Drishti-10 was handed over to the Navy in January.
The induction of the second unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a version of Israel's Hermes 900 medium-altitude long-endurance UAV, into naval maritime operations was initiated at Porbandar in Gujarat.
Drishti 10 Starliner drone, manufactured by Adani Defence and Aerospace is an advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform with 36 hours endurance and 450 kg payload capacity.
The only all-weather military platform with NATO's STANAG 4671 (standardised agreement 4671) certification for the UAV system's airworthiness, Drishti 10 is cleared to fly in both segregated and unsegregated airspace.
The platform provides over-the-horizon, persistent multi-payload, fully autonomous capabilities and Satcom-based operations.
The induction of the second Drishti 10 drone will act as a force multiplier, providing the Indian Navy with the ability to monitor vast maritime territories and unparalleled situational awareness.
Drishti 10, India's only indigenous UAV operating reliably above 32,000+ feet with large payload carrying capacity and long endurance, has endured harsh conditions and challenging terrains, including the Himalayas.
This marks the first-ever integration of such an advanced payload suite onto a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) platform, enabling the Indian Navy with differentiated capabilities to dominate maritime surveillance, according to sources.
Drishti 10 has reached significant milestones through its flight operations in Porbandar and Bhatinda by the Indian Navy and the Indian Army, exemplifying a new era for India's indigenous unmanned defence capabilities.
