Hyderabad firm’s JK 250e defence UAV receives DGCA certification

Drogo Aerospace this year delivered JK 250e UAVs to the Indian Army.

Hyderabad: City-based defence technology company Drogo Aerospace Pvt Ltd on Thursday, October 15, announced that its JK 250e fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has received type certification from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Designed to meet the Indian armed forces’ intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) requirements, the UAV combines fixed-wing flight efficiency with vertical take-off and landing capability, enabling operations without a conventional runway, Drogo Aerospace said in a release.

It has an endurance of two to three hours and is designed for sustained surveillance and situational awareness in challenging field conditions, the release said.

Drogo Aerospace this year delivered JK 250e UAVs to the Indian Army. The training certification is expected to support UAV operator training and the development of indigenous training capabilities, it said.

Drogo Aerospace chief Yeshwanth Bonthu said the JK 250e was the only UAV in India with a hybrid fixed-wing and multirotor configuration to receive DGCA type certification for training purposes.

He described the certification as an important milestone in the development of indigenous UAV technology for defence and training applications and said the company would continue to work towards international standards.