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IIT-Kanpur develops small-sized unmanned air vehicle as air taxi, on display at DefExpo
Presently on display at the ongoing Defence Expo in the city, IIT-K has now planned to conduct a test of UAV this year itself.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) has developed two prototypes of a small-sized unmanned air vehicle (UAV) that can be used as air taxi for speedy transportation of passengers to short distances up to 100 km and also in the defence sector.
Presently on display at the ongoing Defence Expo in the city, IIT-K has now planned to conduct a test of UAV this year itself.
Deputy director of IIT Kanpur, Prof Manindra Agarwal said, “It is based on fixed winged technology and is capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) alongside the usual rotatory take off technology. The institute is working with VTOL Aviation India Private Limited as UAV is capable of both civil and defence applications. Such UAVs find application in border patrol, search and rescue, traffic monitoring, crowd control, environmental studies, asset monitoring and crop monitoring. We have displayed two prototypes, weighing 5 kgs and 25 kgs.”
Professor AK Ghosh from department of aerospace engineering said, “This air taxi will be of immense help in urban area mobility for short distance travel by passengers. The take off is like helicopter and cruise is like aeroplane.”
“This will be a fixed wing platform which will be designed in such a way that future modifications can be easily incorporated. It will be easily modifiable in future to a renewable energy based system, specifically solar powered,” said Ghosh who is leading the fixed wing project.
