From drones to tunnel detection robots manufacturers vie for attention at def expo

Guwahati, Oct 12 (PTI) Seasoned manufacturers to start-ups vied for the attention of the armed forces with their products at the first-ever defence expo in the Northeast, which was held here over two days.
    If someone was looking to attract the defence sector through its drones, others were projecting their robots as partners in warfare and crime control.
    Customised drones by Scandron Pvt Ltd were on display at the 'East Tech', with some of these drones already in the testing phase with the Indian Army.
    Joseph Sudheer Thumma, CEO of Magellanic Cloud which owns the company, said, "We have already launched drones for the cargo sector. We are currently testing payload for our cargo drones, which can carry almost 100 kg."
    "As per the requirements of the Army, we are working on various permutations and combinations of load, altitude and wind," he said.
    Thumma said that the drones for the Army are envisaged to carry heavy vital components such as medical equipment to the camps which are not accessible by road.
    The company is a manufacturer of drones and a provider of drone-based services, with products including logistics drones, agri-spraying drones and custom drones.
    Alongside established manufacturers, start-ups like the Defence and Space Robotics Laboratory (DSRL) were also working to attract buyers.
    "We are working on robots which could help the defence personnel in carrying out critical activities in times of war and also in crime control," CEO Arnab Barman said.
    He said robots developed by the company are undergoing field trials with the BSF in tunnel detection.
    "Basically, these robots are used to check tunnels for smuggling of articles. Field trials of these robots with the BSF are going on," he said.
    Barman said the company is using its experience gained through working with BSF to develop more customised robots to meet the requirements of the defence sector.
    "We believe that robotics can play a vital role in the new age warfare, especially by minimising danger to human lives. We are working on developing such products," the young entrepreneur said, "We are also working on advanced computer vision algorithms and border security systems."
    From cutting-edge technology to top-end gear, nearly 200 manufactures had put up their stalls at the defence expo, which concluded on Wednesday.
    The tech show was jointly organised by the Indian Army and the government of Assam, with MSMEs, defence PSUs and start-ups lining up their products.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)