Category: Manufacturing

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: DEFENCE SERVICES / TECHNOLOGY :DRDO, Navy Fly TAPAS Drone, Land it on Warship 

 The TAPAS UAV took off from Chitradurga’s Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) and flew 285 km and landed successfully on INS Subhadra.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy successfully demonstrated the transfer of command and control capabilities of TAPAS unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

The TAPAS UAV took off from Chitradurga’s Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) and flew 285 km and landed successfully on INS Subhadra. According to the Navy, the vessel was 148km off the Karwar Naval base. A ground control station and two ship data terminals were installed on INS Subhadra to control the UAV.

The UAV took off at 7.35 am from the ATR and soared to a height of 20,000 feet and flew for three-and-a-half hours non-stop to land on INS Subhadra. “After this test, the UAV flew back to the ATR safely,” said the Navy.

“This test is called C2 — command and control capabilities — to check the ability of the operator to control the drone’s flight, sensors and payloads. C2 capabilities are essential for the safe and effective operations of a drone. This is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone, which has a flight endurance of 24 to 48 hours,” informed Girish Linganna, a Bengaluru-based defence expert.

TAPAS was designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency and can be used for patrolling and intelligence gathering for all the three forces. These UAVs are considered the Indian version of Predator drones of the United States.

They are equipped with electro optics sensors to capture images and videos both during the day and night, long-range electro optics sensors to take images and videos from long distances that can be used for surveillance and reconnaissance missions and provide information about enemy movements and activities, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) that uses a technique called synthetic aperture to create high-resolution images that can be used in all-weather conditions to obtain ground surface details like terrain features and objects, electronic intelligence, communication intelligence and other features.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: SPACE TECHNOLOGY: Government’s Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VTU) in Bengaluru Exhibits full-scale replica of Mars Rover Opportunity

The Mars Rover Opportunity model, which was kept as an exhibit at the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, was inaugurated on Thursday.

If you are curious to know how the Mars Rover Opportunity of US space agency NASA, which traversed through the barren land of the red planet and revealed many secrets about it, then head straight to the Space Technology gallery of the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM) here.

The Mars Rover Opportunity model, which was built by the students of Cornell University and kept as exhibit at the VITM, was inaugurated by M Sankaran, Director, UR Rao Satellite Centre of Indian Space Research Organisation on Thursday.

The model was initially on display at the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum in Dulles, Virginia, in US, and later exhibited in the US Pavelion during the 2020 World Expo in Dubai.

The replica was then received by the American Centre in the US Consulate in Chennai where it was on display from November 2022 to March 2023 before landing at the VITM.

US Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago said, “As the United States and India forge even closer cooperation across critical sectors, space provides yet another example of our partnership, with today’s dedication ceremony serving as a symbol of our mutual commitment.”

US Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin said the arrival of the full-scale replica of Mars Rover Opportunity in India symbolised the longstanding space technology cooperation between India and the United States.

India is an important partner to the United States in space exploration. Initiated in 2005, the United States and India Civil Space Joint Working Group is the venue for a productive exchange of views and discussion on new and expanded areas for civil space cooperation, she pointed out.

According to Ravin, the civil space dialogue between United States and India is framed around four working groups: Earth sciences, space science and exploration, heliophysics, and human space flight.

“The cooperation between our two countries shows that the technologies developed in support of space exploration have real-world applications that affect all of us, from advancements in telecommunications and satellite navigation to agricultural monitoring and weather forecasting,” she said.

The Mars Rover Opportunity was operated on the red planet from 2004 to 2018. It sent thousands of pictures to its control station.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: AIR TRANSPORT / FLYING TAXIS: Mysuru, Bengaluru Tech firms join Hands with Flying Taxi start-up ePlane to make Flying Electric Vehicles

ePlane is an IIT-Madras incubated start-up that aspires to build a compact flying taxi. The MoU aims at developing UAVs and flying electric vehicles.

Mysuru-based Vinyas Innovative Technologies and Bengaluru-based Printalytix have signed an MoU with an IIT-Madras incubated ePlane company, which specialises in building compact flying electric taxis and drone systems, for developing UAVs and flying electric vehicles.

Vinyas and Printalytix signed the MoU with ePlane in Mysuru on May 18.

Vinyas will be manufacturing various kinds of drones and UAVs as well as collaborating on marketing and servicing the same.

Printalytix will be providing mechanical design and manufacturing support for the production of UAVs and electric flying taxis.

The three companies aim to indigenise, manufacture, assemble, and integrate advanced drone systems at Vinyas’ production facility in Mysuru by leveraging ePlane’s technology and manufacturing know-how. Vinyas, reinforced by e-Plane, will provide after-market services, and product life-cycle support to its customers worldwide.

The MoU involves manufacturing of small and large UAVs as well as electric flying taxis that use eVTOL technology designed to fulfil requirements starting from land security and surveillance, delivery, rail inspections and monitoring, mapping, to emergency response in urban environments.

The MoU covers the work scope of electronics design and development, PCB assembly, system integration and testing of these UAVs and drone components. The UAVs of ePlane have successfully demonstrated their product capabilities in terms of range, battery life and unique design.

Prof. Satya Chakravarthy, founder and CEO of ePlane, said, “We aim to unlock the full potential of indigenisation, design, engineering and manufacturing that would contribute to the evolving advanced air mobility market and the Make-in-India scheme as well.”

Narendra Narayanan, founder and Managing Director of Vinyas Innovative Technologies, said, “The MoU aims to bring the best of drone technology solutions to many strategic entities. The partnership is a no-brain drainer, as our joint vision has matched up perfectly.”

According to Kiran and Abhishek, who represent Printalytix: “We witness the growing demand and need for drones in various sectors while the supply chain and manufacturing ecosystem in India are catching up to be able to support this growth.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: RURAL INNOVATION / AGRICULTURE : Siddapur Farmer Vidyadhar Bhat Designs Wonder Modified Vehicle that carries 300 kilos of load

 Though the vehicle looks like a scooter, it does work of an autorickshaw. It is also quite useful for the farmers.

A farmer who was tired of carrying things on his shoulders has designed this vehicle, which is developed from his old TVS moped.

The farmer who has designed this unique vehicle is none other than Vidhyadhar Bhat, a resident of Unchalli of Siddapur taluk of the district.

An old TVS moped that was lying in Vidhyadhar Bhat’s house was getting rusted. So Bhat thought of using it as a cart vehicle and a sketch was made in cooperation with local engineer Prashanth. Later, they developed a three-wheeler vehicle having tyres of a scooty and an auto.

The vehicle has the engine of CT 100 and has brakes of an Omni vehicle. A  container that is fitted on the backside can carry up to 300 kilos of load. The vehicle has a fan and an intercooler as well.

The vehicle gives a mileage of 20 km to a litre if the load is full. Otherwise it can give up to 30 to 35 kilometers to a litre. On the whole, this wonder vehicle is farmer-friendly. This vehicle allows the farmer to finish off his work without depending much on labourers for farm-related work.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: INNOVATION & RESEARCH: May 11th – ‘National Technology Day’ Celebrated at The Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL),The Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI)

DFRL expo extended till Friday.

The Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) in Mysuru celebrated National Technology Day on Thursday and conducted an exhibition showcasing its products and technological innovations.

The day is celebrated to commemorate the anniversary of Shakti, the Pokhran nuclear test held on May 11, 1998, and also seeks to popularise science and its importance so as to motivate students to pursue science as a career option.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Anil Dutt Semwal, Director, DFRL, and R. Kumar, Associate Director, DFRL. V.A. Sajeev Kumar, Scientist ‘F’, and others were present.

Consequent upon the United Nation’s General Assembly (UNGA) declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets DFRL showcased different millet-based products developed for use by the tri-services as well as general public.

 The scientists highlighted the importance of millets in daily life and the expo showcased a variety of Ready to Eat (RTE) millet bars, instant millet mixes, millet flour mixes etc. Newly developed anti-freeze container was a crowd puller and it is used for transportation of fruits and vegetables at high altitude terrains with hostile environmental conditions, according to the DFRL authorities.

They said the container does not use any electricity and fruits and vegetables can be transported without chilling to forward areas in the border.  The team of scientists and technologists had recently demonstrated their invention in forward areas of Siachen Glacier, according to the DFRL.

The exhibition drew students from different institutions and the general public and interacted with scientists of DFRL. In view of the overwhelming public response, the exhibition has been extended by a day and will be open to the public on Friday as well from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

CFTRI

The Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) also celebrated National Technology Day. D. Sudhanva, co-founder and CEO, Excel Soft Technologies, was the chief guest and delivered the National Technology Day lecture.

Certificates were distributed to recent licensees of CFTRI technologies and the quarterly newsletter FoodPro was released on the occasion. N.K. Rastogi, Director in-charge, presided.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: AEROSPACE & AVIATION: Boeing announces Winners of ‘8th Annual Boeing National Aeromodelling Competition’

This year’s competition attracted close to 2,200 students across India.

Boeing announced the winners of the 8th annual Boeing National Aeromodelling Competition in India, on May 3.

This year’s competition attracted close to 2,200 students across India, and saw a two-fold increase in participation across zonal and national rounds. 39 finalists from 12 teams were selected for the finale, held at R.V. College of Engineering in Bengaluru.

Arshad Khan from Rabindranath Tagore University, Bhopal was declared winner of the competition.

Sharanya Acharya Nishmithe, Aman Kumar Srivastav and Gagan G. Nayak from Nitte Mahalinga Adyanthaya Memorial Institute of Technology (NMAMIT), Nitte, Karnataka bagged the second spot

Divyamshu, Rathan Raj K. Nancy and Anantha Krishna, also from NMAMIT-Nitte, took the third spot.

The zonal rounds of the competition were held at IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Madras. The top three teams from each zone then travelled to Bengaluru for the finale.

The competition started as an annual event in 2013 to provide a nationwide platform for students who have a keen interest in aerospace engineering and related fields. The competition allows them to demonstrate their skills and creativity in designing, building, and flying fixed-wing aircraft models of different types and sizes.

Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India, said, “This national aeromodelling competition provides an excellent platform for young aviation and technology enthusiasts to present their creativity, and engineering and design skills. It is a testament to our commitment to encourage engineering talent to pursue careers in aerospace and defence in India.”

Ahmed Elsherbini, managing director, Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center, and chief engineer, Boeing India, said, “Aeromodelling competition plays a crucial role in the aerospace sector. It brings fresh perspectives, new ideas, and a willingness to challenge conventional thinking. With the aerospace industry constantly evolving, student innovation can be a driving force in the development of new technologies and sustainable solutions.”

Over the years, Boeing has strategically invested in developing talent for the aerospace sector in India.

Its programs, including Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) Program, the Boeing HorizonX India Innovation Challenge, and the Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) Apprenticeship program, have all helped empower entrepreneurs and contributed to building a skilled frontline workforce for India.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: BUSINESS & ECONOMY / FOOD & BEVERAGES: Mysuru-based start-up ‘Eshanya Beverages’ formally releases Innovative ‘Betel Leaf Tea Bags’

The product developed at Nitte’s DST TEC is available online.

Mysuru-based start-up, Eshanya Beverages, on Friday formally released ‘Betel leaf tea bags’, which was developed at NITTE (Deemed to be University) DST Technology Enabling Centre (DST TEC).

Sandeep Eshanya, a resident of Vijayanagar in Mysuru, told reporters that he quit his job in Bengaluru during COVID-19 second wave. He read a research paper on betel leaf tea. “I was fascinated with the idea as I come from the land of betel leaf and approached a few start-up incubation firms.” NITTE DST TEC agreed to support Mr. Eshanya and NITTE University’s Centre for Science Education and Research (CSER) was asked to study the product.

B.S. Mamatha from NITTE’s CSER said they researched on the product for a year. The research involved the way the betel leaves can be dried and cut into small pieces, which will release its natural taste when placed in hot water. “It took a year to come out with the product that had mild and natural taste of betel leaf,” Ms. Mamatha said, adding the product retains the health benefits of betel leaf.

Mr. Eshanya said apart from natural flavour, they brought out betel leaf bags in orange, rose petals, and lemon flavours. His wife Rani Vishwanath said they approached Ramaiah Evolute, start-up incubator of M.S. Ramaiah Institute, where they received help from Sadananda Maiya, a pioneer of ready-to-eat products, in marketing the product.

Eshanya Beverages sold over 300 boxes of tea, each containing 50 bags and priced at ₹349, through an online platform recently. Betel leaf tea bags are available in retail stores in Mysuru, Mr. Eshanya said.

Launching the product, NITTE Vice-Chancellor Sateesh Kumar Bhandary said TEC set up at NITTE is among a few set of TECs set up by the Union government’s Department of Science and Technology across the country. “Since the last three years, TEC has been supporting new entrepreneurs,” he said.

Iddya Karunasagar, advisor (Research and Patent), NITTE, said the TEC recently transferred technology of making of almond milk powder to a Delhi-based start-up. Technology transfer related to two more products of TEC is in the pipeline, he said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA : NATIONAL: Indigenous Chip for NavIC-based Satellite Navigation launched by Elena Geo Systems, Bengaluru

The processor will give India a huge edge as both government and private sector can move away from their dependence on the American Global Positioning System, says founder of Elena Geo Systems.

In a step towards expanding usage of indigenous satellite-based Navigation, NavIC, a chip that can form the core of the Navigation, Positioning and Timing applications developed by Elena Geo Systems, a Bengaluru-based space technology company, was unveiled at the Defence Space Symposium on Thursday. The chip works using Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) or the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) satellites.

A chip was formally handed over by Lt. Col. V.S. Velan (retd.), founder and Chief Technology Officer of Elena Geo Systems, to Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan.

“We are thrilled to present India’s first fully designed and developed NavIC chip. The processor will give India a huge edge as both the government and private sector can move away from their dependence on the American Global Positioning System (GPS). Elena is in the process of patenting the technology and the product which has been developed by our dedicated R&D team,” Lt. Col. Velan said.

The chip has many cores that service the requirements of signal acquisition, regeneration, processing and the output interface and hence it is has been named as the NavIC processor, he stated. “We will be manufacturing 10,000 chips in the first batch,” he told The Hindu. He said they had demonstrated several of their products to the armed forces and were supplying 200 NavIC receivers to the Army through Bharat Electronics Limited.

High precision

The chips will enable high precision and accuracy for all the three types of applications such as navigation, positioning and timing, providing self-reliance, Lt. Col. Vasan said, adding that they have been pursuing advance technologies to manufacture these chips and modules; some of which have been supplied to the Indian Army and some private entities.

Elena Geo Systems was incubated at IIT-Kharagpur in 2012 and is now a member of the Delhi-based Indian Space Association (InSA) which organised the symposium in association with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Elena demonstrated its first processor in April 2019, which could receive and process signals of NavIC S-band, L5 band, GAGAN, GPS and Russian GLONASS. In the last two years, Elena successfully demonstrated its capability across devices and applications for reference stations, DSM map display system with IRNSS for the Army, map display system for patrol boats, marine NavIC receivers, intelligent vehicle tracking devices, NavIC drone navigation units and NavIC-based atomic clock, Lt. Col. Velan added.

source / content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: DEFENCE & TECHNOLOGY: Defence Ministry signs contracts worth ₹5,498 crore with Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL)

The Ministry of Defence has signed 10 contracts worth ₹5,498 crore with Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) for the three armed forces.

BEL said the projects for the Indian Air Force include 90 EW Suite Equipment for Medium Lift Helicopter, annual maintenance contract for maintenance of two squadrons of the Akash Missile System. The Army projects include automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System (Project Akashteer) and Instant Fire Detection and Suppressing System (IFDSS) for T72 tanks. The Navy projects include 1265 Software Defined Radios, 1178 HDVLF HF Receivers, 12 Sarang’s for Kamov 31 helicopters, INS-SA, CMS for P17 & P28, and Varuna EW system

“These are flagship projects showcasing the indigenous design and manufacturing capabilities of the Indian Defence industry led by BEL, involving other public sectors, private sectors, and MSMEs. The projects will add another milestone to the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government of India,” said BEL.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: INDUSTRY / INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) invites Industries to Develop 100 Technologies and Products

Interested parties were advised to submit their proposals by April 17.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) called upon Indian industries to develop 100 technologies and products, which will be required for its launch vehicles, satellites, application sectors, human space flight, and space exploration.

Inviting an Expression of Interest (EoI) from prospective industries towards self-reliance in development of technologies, products, systems for Indian space programmes, the space agency has listed 100 technologies and products.

The list includes design, realisation and flight testing of sub-scale Hybrid Drone Prototype for DroneNet, development of a Head Mount Display (HMD) for Gaganyaan crew for providing situational awareness, space debris surveillance and tracking radar, urban flooding surveillance system using multi-radar and sensor network.

ISRO is pursuing multidisciplinary R&D programmes related to its major verticals — space transportation, space infrastructure, space applications, ground systems and human space exploration.

The EoI states: “Currently, ISRO is in the need of developing certain potential technologies/ products/ systems for its programmes in a time-bound manner. In this context, an invitation for Expression of Interest (EoI) is hereby floated to identify suitable Indian industries for the development of identified technologies/ products/ systems in a time-bound manner.”

The main objective of this EoI is to engage eligible Indian industries to develop the technologies, products, systems for space programmes of ISRO.

Prospective industries were advised to submit their proposals by April 17.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)