HAL working on combat drone on the basis of pseudo-satellite and Skyborg

New Delhi: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is working on the development of a Pseudo-satellite. The satellite, operating at a very high altitude in the earth’s atmosphere, is known as the atmospheric satellite or high-altitude aircraft. This satellite can be airborne at the height of 70,000 feet for two to three months and can send information. Arup Chatterjee, Director (Engineering and R&D), claimed that no other country in the world had developed this satellite. At the same time, Chatterjee said that HAL is also working on developing attack drones like Skyborg. These drones can enter deep into enemy territory and launch a fierce attack. A prototype of the attack drone has been displayed at the Aero India 2021, being held at Bengaluru.

HAL is in the process of developing a unique satellite in the world, to date. This futuristic satellite can travel at ultra-high altitudes. Chatterjee informed that HAL was working on a start-up for this purpose. HAL is developing this satellite under the Combined Air Teaming system (CATS) program. Chatterjee said that this pseudo-satellite could operate at the height of 70,000 feet, for nearly two to three months and collect vital data. A satellite system capable of working at 50,000 feet for 24 hours also is being developed under the CATS program.

This is a futuristic technology and Shrikant Dudhe, Project Manager CATS program, said that the Indian Air Force (IAF) had supported the concept presented by HAL. Under this same program, HAL is developing ultramodern attack drones. These drones will take off with the fighter jets. The fighter jet will act as mother ships for these drones. Each mother ship will release four drones and operate independently. These drone vehicles will be named CATS Warriors.

These attack drones will be capable of launching attacks up to 700 kilometres deep into enemy territory, dodging the air defence systems and radars of the enemy. Chatterjee said that fighter jets could remain in the Indian airspace and release the drones and these drones can enter the enemy territory and return after completing the task. Chatterjee said that Tejas, Jaguar or other fighter jets from the IAF fleet could act as the mother ship to these drones.

Along with this, swarm drones weighing just 5 kilograms, which could be kept inside the attack drones are also being developed. Chatterjee said that both these drones could carry out attacks in enemy territory, which will be carried in a mother ship.