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In a significant stride towards self-reliance in defence technology, India has expedited the procurement of 87 Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drones from domestic manufacturers under the ?20,000 crore initiative, marking a major step in strengthening border surveillance and operational readiness.

What are MALE Drones?

MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of flying at altitudes of up to 35,000 feet and sustaining flight for over 30 hours. These drones are equipped for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and can undertake limited combat missions.

Key Features

• Endurance: Operational capacity exceeds 30 hours.
• Altitude Range: Effective at 35,000 feet or higher.
• Payload: Equipped with Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) cameras, radar systems, and combat modules.
• Real-time ISR: Provides persistent surveillance over diverse terrain.
• Remote Operations: Ground stations with secure communication links manage operations.
• Indigenous Content: Over 60% of components are locally manufactured, promoting import substitution.

Strategic Applications

• Border and Maritime Surveillance: Enhances India’s ability to monitor land borders with Pakistan and China, and maritime boundaries in the Indian Ocean Region.
• Tri-Service Integration: These drones will be deployed across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, improving joint situational awareness.
• Counter-Insurgency Support: Useful in operations in Naxal-affected and insurgency-prone areas, providing tactical aerial intelligence.
• Disaster Relief and Mapping: Can aid in real-time mapping and coordination during natural disasters and humanitarian crises.

Strategic Importance

• Fills the capability gap between smaller tactical UAVs and high-altitude surveillance drones like the MQ-9B Sea/ Sky Guardians.
• Replaces India’s earlier dependence on Israeli UAVs (e.g., Heron drones), boosting the ‘Make in India’ initiative in defence manufacturing.
• Enhances 24×7 real-time surveillance, thereby strengthening national security architecture.