First private UAV unit to be set up in Kota

KOTA: THE COMPANY THIS YEAR OBTAINED A LICENCE TO MANUFACTURE TWO DEFENCE PRODUCTS NAMELY UAV AND LBPV

India’s first private sector unit for manufacturing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and light bullet proof vehicles (LBPV) will be set up by DCM Shriram Industries Group on the campus of Shriram Rayons in Kota. Shriram Rayons, a company of DCM Shriram Industries Group, manufactures rayon tyrecord in Kota for last 54 years.

“The company on July 5 this year obtained a licence from the centre to manufacture two defence products namely UAV and LBPV,” claimed Vinod Kumar Jaitley, the senior vice president and plant head, Shriram Rayons said.

“The UAV and LBPV have been indigenously designed and developed by the DCM Shriram Industries Group,” Jaitley said, adding that Shriram Rayons’ Kota unit, spread in 11 acres, will be the country’s first private sector company to manufacture UAVs and LBPVs. “Total 3000 LBPVs and 500 UAVs will be manufactured annually once the plant is set up and starts its manufacturing,” he said.

These UAVs and LBPVs are likely to be used by defence and para-military forces in the country. “UAVs will be like larger drones, which will help in surveillance, while LBPV will protect defence and para-military forces against light automatic weapon fire, IED blasts and small grenade attack,” Jaitley said.

“The UAVs will be able to fly to a height of 500 to 2000 km, while LBPVs can operate in difficult terrains and has off-road abilities,” he added. Jaitley said the company is committed to roll out first samples of the defence products within next 18 months time. He said there will be three-layer security at the plant.

DCM Industries Group, a 124year-old company, decided to venture into defence equipment manufacturing after the union government introduced ‘Defence Procurement Procedure 2016’. The new defence unit of Shriram Rayons in Kota is being set up under ‘Make in India’ initiative of the union government.