The Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a vital part of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), continues to advance the nation's capabilities in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). ADE has developed a variety of UAV platforms, including tactical UAVs, surveillance UAVs, and target drones, each designed for different missions and equipped with versatile payloads.
Now, ADE is focusing on developing advanced radomes for its Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) UAV platform. These radomes are designed to house and protect both Multi-Function Phased Array Radar (MPAR) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems, significantly enhancing the UAV's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
Radomes play a crucial role in protecting sensitive radar equipment from environmental factors while ensuring optimal signal transmission and reception. The development of these radomes for the MALE UAV will be a significant step in advancing India's indigenous UAV capabilities.
To ensure these radomes meet stringent operational requirements, ADE will conduct rigorous testing. This includes evaluating performance across various azimuth and elevation angles, as well as across the entire operational frequency bandwidth. The testing process will involve comparing radar signal quality with and without the radome to assess its impact on signal transmission.
ADE will finalize the testing parameters, including specific azimuth, elevation, and frequency steps, in consultation with the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), the authority responsible for certifying aerospace components in India. This collaboration ensures that the radomes meet the highest standards of quality and performance.
This development highlights ADE's commitment to advancing UAV technology and providing the Indian armed forces with cutting-edge capabilities. The integration of MPAR and SAR radomes on MALE UAVs will significantly enhance India's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, enabling more effective operations in diverse environments.
