In a bid to gear up its force for a “big” anti-extremist operation in the Maoist hotbeds, especially in areas prone to attacks, the Central Resrve Police Force (CRPF) is engaged in adding updated gadgets and arms to its armoury. In the process, the force will use an upgraded version of the Netra-V2 drone named ‘Micro UAV A-410’.
The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) weighing 6 kg with payload and battery is an updated version of Netra-V2 — the drone being used by the CRPF for several years in Maoist-affected areas to carry out operations against the rebel groups, which has proved to be an indispensable asset in surveillance, reconnaissance and rescue operations on numerous occasions.
With a “cruise speed” of 35 km per hour, the UAV A-410 has the capacity to fly for around 60 minutes in one go at an altitude of 600 metres, covering 5 km range. It has dual camera system both for day and night. The day camera has 1,280 x 720 pixel resolution with 10x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom. The night camera has thermal imaging capacity of 640 x 480 pixel resolution and 4x digital zoom.
“Micro UAV A-410 is a vertical takeoff and landing small RPAS for quick deployment from confined locations with 60-minute endurance. It provides autonomous operation from takeoff to landing with digital encrypted communication link. It has full HD camera and reliable aerial imaging for surveillance and security operations,” said an CRPF officer.