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DRDO Rustom
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rustom (English: Warrior) is a Medium Altitude Long

Endurance unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) being DRDO Rustom
developed by DRDO for the three services, Indian
Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force of the
Indian Armed Forces.[2] Rustom is derived from the
NAL's LCRA (Light Canard Research Aircraft)
developed by a team under the leadership of late Prof.
Rustom B. Damania in the 1980s. The UAV will have
structural changes and a new engine.[3] Rustom will
replace/supplement the Heron UAVs in service with the
Indian armed forces.[4]

Contents A model of the DRDO Rustom-H HALE UAV

Role Remote controlled unmanned aerial
1 Design and development vehicle (UAV)
2 Variants Manufacturer DRDO
3 Current status First flight Rustom-1: November 11, 2009
3.1 Rustom-1
Rustom-2: February, 2014
3.2 Rustom-2 (scheduled)
4 Specifications
Status Rustom-1 MALE UAV (Prototype
5 See also
flight testing)
6 References
Rustom-H HALE UAV (Under
7 External links development)
Rustom-2 UCAV (Under
development)[1]
Design and development Primary users Indian Air Force
Indian Army, Indian Navy
Rustom-1's basic design is derived from the NAL light
canard research aircraft (LCRA). The aircraft has been Developed from NAL's LCRA (Light Canard
named after Rustom Damania, a former professor of Research Aircraft)
IISc, Bangalore who died in 2001. DRDO decided to
name the UAV after him because it is derived from National Aerospace Laboratories' light canard research
aircraft (LCRA) developed under Rustom Damania’s leadership in the 1980s.[5]

With the Rustom MALE UAV project, DRDO intends to move away from traditional ways of developing
products whereby laboratories under DRDO, like the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), which is
involved in this project, develop and finalise the product and transfer technology to a production agency.[6]

DRDO will follow a practice of concurrent engineering where initial design efforts also take into consideration
production issues, with the production agency participating in the development of the system right from the
design stage. The agency will also follow up issues related to infrastructure and expertise for the product and its
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support, thereby overcoming time delays in crucial projects.[7]

Rustom-1 which bears an uncanny resemblance to Rutan Long-EZ designed by Burt Rutan has a wingspan of
7.9 metres[8] and weighs 720 kg,[8] will be launched by the conventional method and not the launcher as in the
case of the DRDO Lakshya. Rustom will be able to see the enemy territory up to a distance of 250 km and
carry a variety of cameras and radar for surveillance.[9]

Rustom-H, built on a different design, owes nothing to Burt Rutan's Long-EZ design. It is a Medium-Altitude
Long-Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MALE UAV), a twin engine system designed to carry out
surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Rustom H will have a payload capacity of 350 kg.[6]

The range of advanced technologies and systems include the following:[8]

Aerodynamic configurations, High aspect ratio wing, Composite airframe integrated with propulsion
system, De-icing system for wings
Highly reliable systems with built-in redundancy for flight critical systems like flight control and navigation,
data links, power management, - and mission critical payload management system
Digital Flight Control and Navigation System, Automatic Take off and Landing (ATOL)
Digital communication technologies for realizing data links to control and operate the mission and relay
UAVs
Payloads with high resolution and precision stabilized platforms.

Variants
There will be three variants of the Rustom UAV.[10]

Rustom-I: Tactical UAV with endurance of 12 hours (based on NAL's LCRA which was inspired by
Burt Rutan's Long-EZ)[6][11]
Rustom-H: Larger UAV with flight endurance of over 24 hours (completely different design from
Rustom-1), higher range and service ceiling than Rustom-1.
Rustom-II: An unmanned combat air vehicle based on Rustom-H model. It is often compared with
Predator drones by Indian scientists and media.[6][10][12][13]

Current status
The Indian government has allowed the development of the Rustom MALE UAV project in association with a
production agency cum development partner (PADP). The ADE officials indicated that the requests for
proposals (RFP) would shortly be issued to four vendors which are the Tatas, Larsen and Toubro, Godrej and
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited-Bharat Electronics (joint bid) who were chosen out of the 23 firms that
responded.

Currently, negotiations are underway between these companies and the three Indian armed forces since the
private majors are looking for support and commitment from them before they start executing any development
and production plans. This is because of the fact that the chosen PADP will also have a financial stake in the

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Rustom project. The Armed Forces would also be asked to take up a financial stake and the Indian government
may have to guarantee that a specific number of Rustom UAVs will be bought.[7][14][15]

Rustom-1

The first flight of Rustom-I UAV took place on 16-11-2009 at the Taneja Aerospace Air Field near Hosur. The
demonstration resulted in the prototype crashing to the ground. Stated by the DRDO, the taxiing and takeoff
was exactly as planned. Due to misjudgment of altitude of the flight, the on-board engine was switched off
through ground command which made the on-board thrust developed to go to zero.[16] Despite the mishap, the
state-owned Defence Research and Development
Organisation stated: "The flight proved the functioning of
a number of systems such as aerodynamics, redundant
flight control, engine and datalink, which go a long way
towards the development of a complex UAV."

The second "maiden" flight took place on 15th Oct

2010. In this test flight, the UAV flew for 30 minutes at
an altitude of 3000 feet. The test was conducted in
Hosur.[17] The Indian army was impressed with
Rustom-1 and will use it as a MALE UAV.

Rustom-1 made its 5th successful flight on morning of 12

Nov 2011, flying for 25 minutes at 2300-ft AGL at a A scaled down model of the Rustom-1 MALE UAV
speed 100 Knots. It completed its 8th successful flight
on 8 Dec 2011. It flew at an altitude of 6000-feet (max)
and at a speed of 90 knots (max) during its 30 minutes
flight near Hosur, claims DRDO. The highlight of the
flight was that Rustom-1 was test flown with the 'gimbal
payload assembly carrying daylight TV & Infra-Red
camera for the first time. Good quality pictures were
received from the camera in gimbal payload assembly.

The 14th Successful Flight of Rustom-1 was reported

on 8 May 2012, with the attainment of about 11500 ft
above ground level and speed of above 140 Kmph
during 2 hrs 10 minutes of operation.[18]
Rustom-1 UAV prototype
Rustom-2

Rustom-2 is an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) developed by India on the lines of the American
Predator drones.[1][6][12]

In October, 2010 A senior DRDO official stated,

“ The American RQ-1 Predator is an obvious template for the Rustom program. We’ve built a
credible unmanned flying platform. The way the Americans converted a robust surveillance
drone into a combat drone is something we are confident we can replicate for the Rustom-H. It
will have a great deal of mission flexibility. [..]

[Work] is underway to define the weaponization process.[10] ”

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In February 2012, ADE Director P S Krishnan stated,

“ Designing of Rustom-2 has been completed, purchase orders have been placed and we are on
schedule to fly for the first time in February 2014.[13] ”
Specifications
Specifications of Rustom-1 and Rustom-H are as follows:

Data from Defstrat.com, [8] idp.justthe80.com[19] and stargazer2006.online.fr[20]

General characteristics

Crew: none
Payload: 95 Kg (165.3 lbs) and 350 kg (771.6 lbs) (for Rustom-1 & Rustom-H respectively)
Length: 5.12 m (16 ft 10 in) and 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in)[8] (for Rustom-1 & Rustom-H respectively)
Wingspan: 7.9 m (25 ft 11 in) and 20.6 m (67 ft 7 in) (for Rustom-1 & Rustom-H respectively)
Height: Rustom-1: 2.40 m (7 ft 10 in)
Empty weight: 720 kg (1587.33 lbs) & 1,800 kg (3968.32 lbs) (for Rustom-1 & Rustom-H
respectively)
Powerplant:
Rustom-I: 1 × Lycoming O-320 engines Four-cylinder air-cooled horizontally opposed engine,
112 kW (150 hp)[21]
Rustom-H: 2 × NPO-Saturn 36MT engines[22] wing-mounted turboprop, 73.55 kW (~100 hp)
each

Performance
Maximum speed: 225 km/h (139.81 mph)
Range:
Line of sight: 250 km[19] (156.25 miles)
Relay Communication: 350 km[19] (218.75 miles)
Ferry range: 1000 km[19] (625 miles) for Rustom-2
Service ceiling: 26,000 ft for Rustom-1 and 35,000 ft for Rustom-H (8,000 m and 10,668 m
respectively)

See also
Unmanned aerial vehicle

Related development

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DRDO AURA

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Shahed 129
IAI Eitan
IAI Heron
EADS Harfang
MQ-1 Predator
TAI Anka

Related lists

List of unmanned aerial vehicles

References
1. ^ a b "First flight of UAV Rustom-2 scheduled in Feb, 2014"
(http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-02-22/news/31086842_1_ade-unmanned-combat-aerial-
vehicles-drones). The Economic Times. Feb 22, 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
2. ^ Medium Altitude Long Endurance UAV Rustom (http://www.drdo.com/dpi/SAsiaDefnStraRev_.pdf)
3. ^ Chapter 9 : NAL and Trainers:ACIG (http://www.acig.org/exclusives/aero/acig_aero05_nal.htm)
4. ^ India joins select group to develop UCAV technology
(http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/27/stories/2007082759890400.htm)
5. ^ [1] (http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Feb162009/state20090216118795.asp)
6. ^ a b c d e "Unmanned: The Future of Air Wars" (http://www.spsaviation.net/exclusive/?id=164&h=Unmanned:-
The-Future-of-Air-Wars). SP's Aviation. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
7. ^ a b DRDO’s Rustom UAV To Roll Out Soon (http://indiadefenceonline.com/428/drdos-rustom-uav-to-roll-
out-soon/). India Defence Online. Retrieved on 2011-10-20.
8. ^ a b c d e "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Made in India" (http://www.defstrat.com/exec/frmArticleDetails.aspx?
DID=234). South Asia Defence Strategic Review. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
9. ^ Aero India 2009 News: Rustom to lock horns with Mantis, Herti
(http://indianaviationnews.net/aeroindia2009/2009/02/rustom-to-lock-horns-with-mantis-herti.html).
Indianaviationnews.net. Retrieved on 2011-10-20.
10. ^ a b c India Eyes Armed Rustom UAV (http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?
topicName=unmanned&id=news/awst/2010/10/25/AW_10_25_2010_p30-
263965.xml&headline=India%20Eyes%20Armed%20Rustom%20UAV&channel=&from=topicalreports)
11. ^ [2] (http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/india-plans-to-develop-solar-powered-uavs-127956&cp&cp) India
plans to develop solar-powered UAVs
12. ^ a b "India may soon have its own 'Predator drones' " (http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-
india-to-soon-have-its-won-predator-drones/20111115.htm). Rediff News. November 15, 2011. Retrieved 9
March 2012.

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13. ^ a b "ADE Finalizes Rustom-2 UAV Flight, Reveals Future Drone Projects for Defence"
(http://www.defencenow.com/news/549/ade-finalizes-rustom-2-uav-flight-reveals-future-drone-projects-for-
defence.html). Defence Now. February 25, 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
14. ^ Significant step toward indigenous UAV (http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article43328.ece)
15. ^ Rustom-1 will hit production (http://idrw.org/?p=3101)
16. ^ Indias-uav-demonstrator-crashes-during-trials (http://www.algerie-defense.com/2009/11/indias-uav-
demonstrator-crashes-during-trials/)
17. ^ News / National : Rustom 1 test-flown (http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article834821.ece). The
Hindu (2010-10-18). Retrieved on 2011-10-20.
18. ^ http://drdo.gov.in/drdo/English/dpi/press_release/rustum-1_14.pdf DRDO Press Release: 14th Successful
Flight of RUSTOM-1
19. ^ a b c d "Rustom MALE UAV" (http://idp.justthe80.com/unmanned-aerial-systems/rustom-male-uav#TOC-
Rustom-H-Capabilities). Indian Defense Projects Sentinel. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
20. ^ "DRDO-ADE 'Rustom-I' and 'Rustom-H' " (http://stargazer2006.online.fr/derivatives/rustom.htm). Stargazer.
Retrieved 9 March 2012.
21. ^ "Aero India: the DRDO displayed the Rustom-1 MALE UAV"
(http://en.ruvsa.com/news/development/aero_india_the_drdo_displayed_the_rustom_a_male_uav/). Russian
Unmanned Vehicle Systems Association. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
22. ^ "India Now Wants Hundreds Of UAVs" (http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?
channel=defense&id=news/dti/2011/05/01/DT_05_01_2011_p19-313799.xml). Aviation Week. May 20, 2011.
Retrieved 9 March 2012.

External links
Medium Altitude Long Endurance UAV-Rustom (http://www.drdo.com/dpi/SAsiaDefnStraRev_.pdf)
The first flight of Rustom-1 MALE UAV's second prototype (http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=seGfyTp3n1s)

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=DRDO_Rustom&oldid=619942468"

Categories: Unmanned aerial vehicles of India Military equipment of India DRDO aircraft
Proposed aircraft of India Unmanned military aircraft
Medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles

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