Navy gets first India-made unmanned aerial vehicle Drishti 10 Starliner drone

The Drishti 10 Starliner UAV marks a significant stride towards a more secure and technologically advanced defense landscape for India.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar on January 10 flagged off the first indigenously manufactured Drishti 10 'Starliner' Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for the Navy, at the Adani Aerospace Park in Hyderabad.

The sophisticated, state-of-the-art UAV marks a significant step towards strategic autonomy and technological leadership in high-endurance, combat-proven, and indigenised advanced aerial systems. It is an advanced Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform with an endurance capacity of 36 hours, payload capacity of 450kg, and is clear to fly in both segregated and unsegregated airspace.

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"This is a momentous occasion and a transformative step in India's quest for self-reliance in ISR technology and maritime supremacy. Adani Group has demonstrated its commitment to unmanned systems having worked systematically over the last many years to develop local capabilities not limited to manufacturing but sustenance through MRO. Drishti 10's integration into our naval operations will enhance our naval capabilities, strengthening our preparedness for the ever-evolving maritime surveillance and reconnaissance," Admiral R Hari Kumar said.

#WATCH | Indian Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar unveils the Drishti 10 Starliner drones manufactured by Adani Defence in Hyderabad.

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The firm said the drone is an advanced Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform with 36 hours of endurance, 450 kgs payload… pic.twitter.com/tfdSYImRuX — ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2024

Adani Defence has built India's first unmanned aerial vehicles manufacturing facility, and the first private sector small arms manufacturing facility. It is currently setting up the country's first comprehensive aircraft MRO or maintenance, repair and overhaul facility to ensure safety and airworthiness as per to international standards.

Jeet Adani, VP, Adani Enterprises, told the media that the recent geopolitical events have reinforced the convergence of physical, informational, and cognitive tactics underpinned by intelligence, information processing capabilities, use of unmanned systems, and cyber systems for dissemination of information and disinformation.

"Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms across land, air and naval borders are a key priority for Adani which will help serve the needs of the Indian Armed forces and also place India on the global map for exports. We are proud to be able to serve the Indian Navy and their requirements," Adani told Economic Times.