Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) formally handed over the “Jaldoot” Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) to the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO’s) Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in Visakhapatnam after completing its trials successfully.
Jaldoot was delivered after successfully completing acceptance trials from October 17 to October 21. The USV, designed and developed jointly by GRSE and NSTL, DRDO, for survey and communication missions, features compact dimensions and weight, said the GRSE.
A domestic technology start-up partner, M/s Rekise Marine, was nurtured in the design and development of Jaldoot.
The Kolkata-based PSU stated that, powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, the vessel supports waypoint navigation, station-keeping, and failsafe behaviours.
Various sensors
It can integrate various sensors, including an acoustic positioning system for tracking of UUVs, side scan sonar for SAR mission and 1080p HD camera with night vision capability.
The GRSE emphasised that “This achievement is testament to the joint R&D efforts of GRSE and NSTL/DRDO in developing in-house expertise as well as leveraging the strengths of indigenous start-ups”.
Apart from the GRSE, another PSU Bharat Electronics Limited has also developed Zero emission USV which has been designed for hydro-graphic surveying and coastal surveillance. It can be customised for logistics operations and kamikaze applications.
Private industries -- like Sagar Defence Engineering and Dronobotics -- have also come up with USVs to tap into this segment of emerging future warfare market.
Sagar Defence Engineering’s autonomous surface vessel recently completed a 1,500-km voyage from Mumbai to Thoothukudi under without human intervention. The attempt was made with the support of the Indian Navy.
Similarly, Dronobotics’ Jalchar USV or Drone Boat is designed to assist in disaster management, search and rescue, scientific researches and commercial and personal needs.