Karnataka: DRDO drone crashes during trial run in Chitradurga
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) crashed in agricultural fields in Karnataka's Chitradurga district on Sunday, ANI reported. According to officials, the UAV, named TAPAS BH-201, fell outside Vaddikere village when it was on a "trial flight." Reportedly, the Defence Ministry has ordered an inquiry into the mishap to ascertain the reason behind the crash.
Villagers alerted authorities about crash
Soon after the crash, videos and images showing the TAPAS UAV's components and equipment scattered across a field appeared on social media. The drone reportedly crashed with a loud bang, as per villagers, who soon gathered in large numbers at the site and alerted the authorities. Notably, TAPAS BH-201 is a long-endurance UAV that was formerly known as Rustom-II.
Defence Ministry orders probe into UAV crash
TAPAS-BH UAV, indigenously-built drone
The TAPAS-BH UAV, which is short for Tactical Aerial Platform for Advanced Surveillance-Beyond Horizon, is a "Made in India" drone built by the DRDO. It is a medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle of the long endurance class. The UAV was first unveiled at the 2023 Aero India air show, where India demonstrated its defense capabilities via stationary and aerial displays.
DRDO's solution to armed forces' ISTAR needs
TAPAS-BH is reportedly the DRDO's answer to meet the Indian armed forces' Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Tracking, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) requirements. The UAV has a flying endurance of more than 18 hours and can operate at heights of up to 28,000 feet.
