After Ukraine, ‘Vector & Scorpion’ Drone To Undergo Test Trial Along LAC

Serving in the war zone between Russia and Ukraine, the latest state-of-the-art “Vector and Scorpion” drone, is all set to undergo test trials along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh in July, ahead of its possible induction into the armed forces, as reported by PTI.

Vector:

Vector is a flexible Hybrid Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) sUAS that provides an endurance of 120 minutes and a 15 km radio link range enabled by a military-grade encrypted mesh IP data link. Automated precision take-off and landings are standard with Vector, requiring only a single operator utilizing a hand-controlled GCS.

Scorpion:

The scorpion is a tricopter. By removing the wings and tail from Vector, and attaching a separate set of booms and props, the system transforms into a tricopter configuration. This is optimal for dynamic urban environments that required a combination of maneuverability and hover Scorpion has an endurance of 45 minutes and also has a radio link range of 15 km.

• The two-in-one unmanned aerial system (UAS) is an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drone, providing capabilities to both the military and other security forces.
• “Between Russia and Ukraine, they (some countries) are flying these drones in that area (the battle zone). It will undergo a test trial on the LAC in Ladakh in July,” Kushagra Agrawal, vice-president, of Roter Precision Instruments Private Limited, the firm that has manufactured the drone, told PTI.
• Giving further details, he said the “Vector and Scorpion” drone was introduced last year and was recently showcased at the North Tech Symposium 2022 at the Army’s Northern Command headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur, drawing a huge response from the officers of various formations of the armed forces.
• “It is the first drone that has a telemetric range of 65 kilometers. For example, if I am sitting in Udhampur, the drone can give me live feed from Jammu,” Agrawal said.
• “No other Indian company can give you a 65-kilometer range,” he added.
• Officials said it is an IP 66-rated drone.
• “That means it can fly during a drizzle. It can fly when it is snowing. It has already been tested 5,000 meters above the ground level. That makes it a fool-proof drone,” Agrawal said.
• The drone is being used by the US Marine Corps, the French police, and the German police.
• The two-in-one system design opens up further applications with the “Scorpion” configuration — by removing the wings and attaching a separate set of copter arms, a dedicated multi-copter platform becomes available for an even wider variety of mission applications — the officials said.
• “Either use a VTOL fixed-wing or a conventional copter, in both cases you only need one system to train on and to deploy it on site,” an official said.
• The officials said the drone gets “mission ready” in less than two minutes.