New Delhi: India's first private drone manufacturing facility, located in Hyderabad, has made significant strides in establishing India's as a defence manufacturing hub. The facility has successfully supplied more than 20 Hermes 900 medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAVs to Israel, according to media outlet Shephard Media.
The Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems India Ltd, based in Hyderabad, has become the first entity outside of Israel to manufacture the Hermes 900. This joint venture between India's Adani Defence and Aerospace and Israel's Elbit Systems underscores the collaborative efforts between the two nations in advancing defence technology.
The Hermes 900, a state-of-the-art unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is currently in active deployment in the intense Israel-Hamas conflict. These UAVs, equipped with high-performance sensors, have proven instrumental in detecting ground or maritime targets across a wide spectral range and are capable of executing ground target attacks.
The UAVs were delivered complete with carbon composite aerostructures, manufactured at the impressive 50,000-square-foot Adani facility in Hyderabad. This facility, inaugurated on December 14, 2018, by the Home Minister of Telangana, Mohammad Mahmood Ali, has been a testament to India's commitment to strengthening its defence capabilities.
India's decision to procure the Israeli drone, Hermes 900, was driven by the strategic aim to enhance surveillance along its northern borders. The successful collaboration between Adani Defence and Aerospace and Elbit Systems has not only realized this objective but has also positioned India as a formidable player in the global drone manufacturing landscape.