TAPAS UAV

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About TAPAS UAV:

The Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance-Beyond Horizon-201 or Tapas BH-201 is a long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle.
It was previously used to be referred as Rustom-II.
Features
- Formerly known as the Rustom-2, the drone has a 20.6-meter wingspan and a maximum speed of 225 kmph.
- It can cover a range of 250+ km using the C Band frequency data link developed by Defence Electronics Application Laboratory (DEAL) at DRDO.
- It can also cover 1000+ km via SATCOM using the Kᵤ Band frequency and GAGAN system.
- The medium-altitude, long-endurance drone has an impressive flight endurance of several hours and successfully completed its maiden flight in November 2016.
- Its compact, lightweight design makes it easily transportable and deployable to remote locations.
- Its real-time data collection and transmission provide valuable intelligence for decision-making.
- It has a range of over 18 hours and altitude capabilities of up to 28,000 feet.
- It has already completed more than 180 flights and will be live-streaming aerial and static displays at Aero India 2023.
It is being developed in India by Aeronautical Development Establishment.

Q1) What is DRDO?

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency of the Government of India responsible for the research, development, and design of technology and products related to defense and security. Established in 1958, DRDO’s primary objective is to enhance the self-reliance and technological capabilities of India’s defense forces.

Source: DRDO’s UAV Tapas crash in Karnataka village field, no collateral damage reported | Watch