An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) crashed in the agriculture fields of a village in Chitradurga district of Karnataka on Sunday, August 20, 2023. The crash occurred at around 6:00 AM local time, and no casualties were reported.
The UAV, a medium altitude, long endurance (MALE) aircraft called Rustom 2, was on a trial flight when it crashed. The cause of the crash is under investigation, but DRDO officials said it was likely due to a technical malfunction.
Rustom 2 is a twin-engine, turboprop aircraft that is designed for surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It has a range of over 3,000 kilometers and can stay in the air for up to 24 hours. The aircraft is being developed for the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The crash is a setback for the DRDO’s UAV program, but it is not the first time that a Rustom 2 has crashed. In 2022, a prototype of the aircraft crashed during a test flight in Karnataka.
DRDO officials said that they are committed to the development of Rustom 2, and that they will work to identify the cause of the crash and take steps to prevent it from happening again.
Additional details:
- The UAV crashed in a field near the village of Jodi Chillenahalli, about 200 kilometers from the city of Bengaluru.
- The aircraft was carrying no weapons or explosives at the time of the crash.
- The DRDO has launched an inquiry into the cause of the crash.
