The defence public sector enterprise BEML Limited has extended its scope in the aerospace sector over a decade in an attempt to take advantage of the global and domestic opportunities in the fast-expanding aerospace market.
At Aero India 2021, the company announced a joint venture with CSIR-NAL to co-develop a two-seater trainer aircraft through the transfer of technology (ToT) route.
Also on display at Aero India 2021 were BEML’s unmanned UAVs like Primoco UAV One 150, which is designed for civilian and military use, and two other smaller UAVs.
BEML also showcased its Transporter Landing System, which is a ground-based precision landing system which can improve access to airports where terrain constraints make instrument landing system installation infeasible or prohibitively costly.
The company would manufacture TLS in India in collaboration with the United States-based Advanced Navigation and Positioning Corporation.
BEML has also signed an MoU with Russia’s SKAT Systems for joint manufacture of high altitude UAVs for Indian and global requirements and another with S’YOMKA S VOZDUHA, Russia, for the manufacture of marine drones and anti-drone systems.
BEML has also ventured into the space arena, manufacturing products for ISRO’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III, BEML’s Mining and Construction Chairman, and Managing Director M V Rajasekhar said.
BEML also signed an MoU with CSIR-NAL for cooperation in the areas of advance composite and autoclaves, mini unmanned aerial vehicles and design and analysis of aircraft structure and systems.
This will help BEML to increase its footprint in the aerospace sector, he stated.
Rajasekhar said the UAVs will be of great use for military surveillance and civilian applications in areas like aerial mapping, reconnaissance, remote weather watch, and others.
BEML has entered into an agreement with Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur to develop a 25-kg class tactical UAV, which has a range of 200 km and an endurance in excess of three to four hours, he said.
The Primoco UAV, which the firm is developing along with Primoco UAV SE of the Czech Republic, has an endurance of 15 hours and a range of 200 km, he added.
The BEML Primco One 150, which can fly for 15 hours with a payload capacity of 1-30 kgs with 200 km-radio range, is developed to take off and land autonomously in poor weather conditions.
It can be used for surveillance, monitoring, border patrolling, and law enforcement. The platform is ready and the firm is looking at trials by potential customers.
The firm also displayed its Medium Bullet Proof Vehicle at Aero India, which will protect the crew and troops of paramilitary forces like the Border Security Force and the Central Reserve Police Force, from ballistic arms fire, hand grenades and fragment simulated projectiles. This will allow troops to be transported and made operational in any counter-insurgency environment.
BEML is offering the Indian Army their AI-powered Medical Health Diagnostic System (MHDS), a mobile health and diagnostic station housed in a 20 feet container on a high mobility platform.
At Aero India 2021, BEML also entered into an MoU with Adani Defence Systems & Technologies Limited to provide mobility systems for armed vehicles like wheels, armoured personal carriers, infantry combat vehicles, and main battle tanks.
(Inputs from Frontline)
