Category: Records, India

NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: AVIATION & AEROSPACE: ENGINEERING: HAL’s New Design & Test Facility for Aero Engine Research & Development Centre (AERDC) inaugurated

Union Government’s Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane inaugurated a new design and test facility at HAL’s Aero Engine Research and Development Centre (AERDC) in Bengaluru on Friday.

Hailing the important work being done by HAL, Aramane said, “HAL has received applause at the highest levels and the government trusts your capability to deliver and make the country self-reliant. Manufacturing sector is the future of our country and in the coming decades, HAL should focus on mastering technologies for all types of aircraft. Think ahead as the entire paradigm of warfare is changing.”

Thrusting on the role of unmanned aircraft in the future warfare, he encouraged HAL to collaborate with other private companies to develop new platforms.

“HAL is the largest DPSU in India and I want it to become the top ten companies in the world,” he said, adding that he had a look at the manufacturing range of various engines and test beds and also paid a visit to HAL’s Aerospace Division.

C B Ananthakrishnan, CMD (Addl. Charge), HAL said, “The development of this facility marks a key milestone in HAL’s growth trajectory. It is a testimony of HAL’s commitment towards achieving Aatmanirbharta in aero-engine design and development.”

The new facility spanning over 10,000 sq. meters has been established under the modernisation plan.

Dr D K Sunil, Director (Engineering, R&D) outlined the design perspectives of HAL’s R&D initiatives.

The AERDC is currently involved in the design and development of several new engines including two strategic engines — Hindustan Turbo Fan Engine (HTFE) of 25 kN thrust for powering trainers, UAV’s, twin engine small fighter aircraft or regional jets and Hindustan Turbo Shaft Engine (HTSE) of 1200 kN thrust for powering light and medium weight helicopters (3.5 to 6.5 tonnes in single/twin engine configuration).

The new state-of-the-art facility houses special machines, advanced setups leveraging on computational tools, in-house fabrication facility and two test beds for testing HTFE-25 and one test-bed each for testing HTSE-1200 and upcoming JV engine for IMRH to be co-developed by Safran, France and HAL.

In addition, the newly developed facility has setups for testing Air producer of Jaguar, Gas Turbine Starter Unit (GTSU) -110 M2 and 127E of LCA, Auxiliary Power Units of IMRH and AMCA, Gas Turbine Electrical Generator (GTEG)-60 for An-32 aircraft. Setups to carry out various critical tests for engine components and LRUs have also been established within the new facility.

The Centre, established in the 1960s, holds the unique distinction of being the only design house that has developed test beds for engines of both Western and Russian origin. It has successfully developed and certified PTAE-7 engine, the first indigenous turbojet engine of India powering Lakshya (Unmanned Aircraft), Gas Turbine Electrical Generator GTEG-60 for starting An-32 aircraft, Air starter ATS 37 and Air producer for starting Adour-Mk 804E/811 on Jaguar Aircraft and Shakti engine for powering ALH to support Ad804/811 engine of Jaguar aircraft.

Senior officials from HAL, IAF, GTRE. ADA, NAL, CEMILAC and ADE were present on the occasion.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: ROBOTICS: India’s 01st Edition of ROSCon 2023 energises Robotics Community in country

The event featured seven innovative robotic startup showcases, 14 talks on ROS, and four-panel discussions.

India’s first edition of ROSCon 2023 — a platform that brought together industry experts, researchers and enthusiasts from the Robotics and ROS (Robot Operating System) community — was held in Bengaluru last week. The event witnessed a turnout of 700 participants from within and outside the country.

ARTPARK-IISc, in collaboration with Acceleration Robotics and Rigbetel Labs hosted the first edition of ROSCon India at the JN Tata Auditorium, Indian Institute of Science (IISc). The two-day event held on December 14 and 15 offered a historic platform for ROS developers, encompassing enthusiasts at every level, from beginners to seasoned experts.

The event featured seven innovative robotic startup showcases, 14 talks on ROS, and four-panel discussions. The sessions delved into the evolving landscape of robotics in India, exploring challenges faced by startups in robotics, the significance of edge computing, and the intricacies of securing venture capital funding.

“It was a real eye-opener for us to see the tremendous interest in robotics in general and ROS in particular. This event is part of ARTPARK’s larger goal of catalyzing the innovation ecosystem around robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its applications to solve problems at scale via creating and supporting startups. The event played a pivotal role in uniting and strengthening the robotics community across the country,” said Prof Bharadwaj Amrutur, Executive Director and Chief Technologist, ARTPARK-IISc.

He added that ROSCon not only marked a momentous occasion in India’s robotics journey but also set the stage for continued collaboration, innovation and advancements in the field. The event received significant support from industry leaders, with Qualcomm, Nvidia, and Analogue Devices India joining as platinum sponsors.

ARTPARK is an AI and Robotics Technology Park promoted by the IISc to foster innovations in AI and robotics by bringing together the best of the startup, industry, research and government ecosystem. It is seed-funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) and the Government of Karnataka. 

Acceleration Robotics is focused on designing customized hardware, or “brains”, that speed up a robot’s operation. The company creates custom compute architectures for high-performance robots through hardware acceleration solutions. RigBetel Labs aims to bring the nitty-gritty of cutting-edge technologies like robotics, automation, augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud tech and mobile application to every viable sector.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: ENGINEERING & SCIENCE: DRONES: India closer to New Drone Power as NRT’s Indigenous Solar-Powered Pseudo-Satellite Flies for over 21 hrs

Start-up announced that its prototype had completed flight during Winter Solstice trial. Big fillip to India’s plan of having long-endurance drone capable of flying in stratosphere.

Bengaluru-based NewSpace Research and Technologies Pvt Ltd (NRT) announced Saturday that its long-endurance drone, the solar-powered High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS), had carried out its first flight lasting over 21 hours. The development comes as a big fillip to India’s plan to have its own long-endurance drones capable of flying in the stratosphere.

The project is being spearheaded under the Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative of the defence ministry. Under this, NRT has signed a contract for an initial proof-of-concept demonstrator, which targets a solar-powered flight lasting longer than 48 hours. 

Sameer Joshi, CEO of the start-up and a former Air Force pilot, announced on X, formerly Twitter, that the company’s prototype completed its flight during a Winter Solstice trial on 22 December.

The Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, tests the solar-powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle’s (UAV) endurance at its worst. The next flight will take place on 21 June or the Summer Solstice, when the Sun will be at its brightest.

The IAF has included HAPS under a Rs 1,000 crore ‘Make I project’ of the Government of India. This means that 70 percent of the funding will come from the government.

Upbeat about the NRT feat, defence sources told ThePrint that this was the next big thing in air warfare and that the flight included both day and night flying, with the UAV using solar energy for travel during the day and using its solar-charged battery for flying at night. The sources refused to get into details of what altitude the UAV flew at, but said the plan is to have it fly in the stratosphere at about 65,000 feet, above air traffic.

For context, commercial aircraft typically fly between 31,000 and 38,000 feet, or at about 5.9 to 7.2 miles.

Since the HAPS operates on solar power, it can continue to fly for months.

India’s first stratospheric vehicle?

The HAPS UAV is part of a new genre of solar-powered platforms being designed across the world for persistent surveillance, communications, and specialist science missions.

Both the IAF and the Navy are on board with the project and are looking at acquiring this capability in the short term as well as in the long term. 

In India, the National Aerospace Laboratories under the government’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is also working on a similar project, but details of its progress are yet unknown. 

Defence sources told ThePrint that India does not have a stratospheric vehicle. 

Running exclusively on solar power and flying above the weather at 16-20 km autonomously for months at a stretch, a HAPS platform will fill a capability gap between satellites and HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) UAVs, sources said. 

The sources explained that HAPS is ultra-lightweight but has a strong body with the ability to take onboard batteries and other systems. They said that as the battery technology improves, the endurance would also grow.

The intended surveillance payloads for HAPS include electro-optical/ infra-red (EO/IR) solutions, synthetic aperture radars (SAR) besides communication payloads — including range extenders, electronic intelligence (ELINT) and electronic warfare (EW).  

The existing technology limits of the ISR payloads for HAPS allow observations of up to 80-100 km from stratospheric altitudes, which is 2-3 times more as offered by MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) UAVs. ISR, or Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), is vital for military operations.

Sources said the HAPS technology will offset the lack of critical ISR gap felt during the Doklam crisis, the Balakot incident, and the ongoing crisis in Ladakh. 

The Navy will be an immediate beneficiary since this allows continuous low-cost manning of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), sources said.

They also explained that the civilian use of HAPS is equally important since it can provide telecommunication connectivity all over India — especially in regions with patchy terrestrial network issues because of the challenges of terrain and costs.  

source/content: theprint.in (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: ARTIC RESEARCH: Raman Research Institute Scientists head to Arctic to study ‘Cosmic Dawn’

The 4-member team will be working in the vicinity of the Himadri research station in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.

A team of scientists from Bengaluru’s Raman Research Institute has been sent to the Arctic Circle for a research expedition. The four-member team, which is led by Girish B S of RRI’S Electronics Engineering Group, will be working in the vicinity of the Himadri research station, located in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.

The mission, which was flagged off from Delhi on Monday, is set to last until January 15, under the aegis of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The mission will seek to deploy instruments near Himadri to study radio signals in the 5 to 500 megahertz range. It will assess whether Svalbard is “radio-quiet” enough to deploy Shaped Antenna measurement of the background Radio Spectrum (SARAS) radio telescopes.

The radio telescopes are used in the study of the ‘cosmic dawn’, an era in the development of the universe which saw the formation of the first stars and galaxies.

According to a statement from the RRI, these ancient signals are easily drowned out by modern cell phone towers and other interference.

Girish B S stated that due to rampant urbanisation in recent years, the space for the deployment of scientific experiments for cosmological studies is fast shrinking. “Several places, where low frequency astronomical observations were conducted in the past, are no longer suitable for carrying out precision measurements. And the biggest limitation in achieving the required sensitivity is RFI (radio frequency interference),” he said.

SARAS has previously been deployed in remote parts of Karnataka and Ladakh.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL/ KARNATAKA: GREEN-ENVIRONMENT / SPORTS : Bengaluru’s Ultra-Marathoner Aakash Nambiar runs 104Km barefoot in Dubai to raise ‘Awareness for Climate Change’

Aakash Nambiar’s initiative was inspired by the momentum generated by COP28, the climate change conference held earlier in December.

Aakash Nambiar, a 34-year-old ultra-marathoner from Bengaluru, took to the streets of Dubai barefoot, covering a staggering 104Km in just over 17 hours and 20 minutes. Known as ‘Barefoot Mallu’ on Instagram, Nambiar’s feat was not just a test of physical stamina but also a call to action against climate change.

Starting his journey at the break of dawn from Love Lake in Al Qudra, Nambiar traversed some of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks, including the Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab, Kite Beach, Jumeirah Beach, La Mer Beach, Etihad Museum, and the Museum of the Future. His final destination was the towering Burj Khalifa, which he reached by midnight. Throughout this extraordinary marathon, Nambiar ran without shoes, braving the hot Middle Eastern terrain, save for the last few stretches at night.

Nambiar’s initiative was inspired by the momentum generated by COP28, the climate change conference held earlier in December. Through his run, he aimed to engage with community members, discussing the collective effort needed to combat climate change. His message was clear: “WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME” to act on this global issue.

“A 100KM inside Dubai, the city of skyscrapers!! The run started after the sun rise from Love, Lake to finish at the tallest building in the world Burj Khalifa covering Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab, Kite Beach, Jumeirah Beach, La Mer beach, Etihad museum and Museum of future with a total of ~ 104KMs,” Nambiar wrote.

As reported by Khaleej Times, Nambiar expressed that running through the streets and meeting people made him feel alive and provided a powerful platform to spread his message on environmental conservation.

source/content: indiatoday.in (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: AGRICULTURE: Farmer Kumar of Puttur Taluk Sets World Record, Braves Bee Swarm For Agricultural Advancements

Hailing from Pernaje in Puttur Taluk, Dakshina Kannada District, Kumar engages in agriculture, primarily betel nut cultivation, and has included beekeeping as his main source of income. Despite the challenges involved in handling and separating queen bee families, Kumar indulges in the unique practice of braving a swarm of bees in his beard and moustache to set a Guinness World Record.

Kumar in Pernaje collects beehives from his garden and takes them home, caring for them in special boxes. He sets up and shares bee colonies generously with those who need them. Kumar sees valuable life lessons in observing these social creatures, finding their intricate workings a unique insight into agriculture.

Farmer Kumar, hailing from Puttur taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, garners recognition for his innovative initiatives. Following the development of a new machine for pest control in monkeys, he introduces a low-cost beehive, underscoring his dedication to inventive farming solutions.

Residing on a small plot in his name, he is a dedicated farmer and a progressive agriculturist cultivating various crops such as groundnut, coconut, banana, black pepper, coffee, and honey. Innovating his farming equipment, he initially introduced a simple technique for dispensing medicine to his nut plantations by standing under a tree.

To ward off monkeys from his plantations, he built a firecracker gun inspired by the Kovi. Currently, he has unveiled a novel approach for his beekeeping by-product. Shifting away from traditional wooden construction, he prioritises durability by employing cement sheets to craft beehive boxes.

A wooden honey box, priced between Rs 3 and Rs 3,500, faces competition from the more affordable cement sheet, costing only Rs 1,000. The cement boxes, apart from being cost-effective, are resistant to termite and ant issues prevalent in their wooden counterparts. He asserts that these cement boxes demonstrate resilience against rainwater, especially during the monsoon season.

Back in 2020, Nature MS, a beekeeper, set a world record by spending over four hours with his head entirely covered in bees. According to Guinness World Records, the 24-year-old accomplished this feat, lasting four hours, 10 minutes, and five seconds to secure the record.

source/content: news18.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL : KARNATAKA: ‘Gadinada Ratna’ Award conferred on multifaceted Social Entrepreneur Joseph Mathais, Dubai

During the second anniversary celebration of Dubai Gadinada Utsava on December 10, Gadinada Academy UAE bestowed the esteemed Gadinada Ratna award upon Joseph Mathais, a NRI entrepreneur, versatile social worker, singer, and actor. The award was presented by Basavaraj Horatti, the speaker of Karnataka Vidhan Parishad, in a ceremony held at the Woodlem Park School Auditorium.

Presiding over the colourful event was Sarvotham Shetty Abu Dhabi.

Distinguished guests of honour included former Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Rajya Sabha member Dr L Hanumanthaiah, and Manjeshwar Lok Sabha member A K Ashraf.

Joseph Mathais, the recipient of the Gadinada Ratna award, is the founder of Merit Freight Systems, with business branches in the Gulf and India. Known for his extensive social contributions, Mathais has created job opportunities for numerous individuals. He is also recognized for initiatives such as providing uniforms to school children, sarees and dhotis to senior citizens, bicycles to the self-employed, sewing machines, and medical aid to the needy through the Ashoknagar Yuvaka Sangha, an organization awarded on Karnataka Rajyotsava.

Beyond his business endeavours, Joseph Mathais, a prominent singer and actor, has sponsored cultural programmes in Konkani, Kannada, and Tulu held both in India and abroad.

His dedication to social causes has earned him various accolades, including the Mayoora award from Sharjah Kannada Sangha and the Vishwa Kannadiga award from Gulf Kannadigara Sangha. Mathais continues to be a significant contributor to both the cultural and philanthropic landscape.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / KARNATAKA: Bengaluru girl Veruschka Pandey showcases her skills at UN summit

Further, she stated that it is our responsibility to save people from untimely death by educating them about CPR.

A tenth grader from Bengaluru showcased her skill at the 1-Million 1-Billion (1M1B) summit held at the United Nations recently.

Veruschka Pandey, a youth changemaker from The International School, Bengaluru participated in the 1M1B Activate Impact Youth Summit held at the United Nations. It was hosted by the 1M1B Foundation on November 30 in New York. She presented her project Surya Nayak, which showcased her contribution to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India. 

Veruschka has been working on giving CPR training to ASHA workers, bus drivers, factory workers and security personnel in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka. She has been creating awareness, spreading information and training people.

“I not only want to create awareness but a mass movement among health workers and the Indian youth to achieve the SDGs by 2030,” she said at the summit, adding that our hearts are like vessels that have space for empathy, love and life. Further, she stated that it is our responsibility to save people from untimely death by educating them about CPR. 

Her thoughts and works were also showcased through a documentary ‘Heart is a Vessel’ at the UN, followed by a panel discussion that included her mentor Manav Subodh and Amit Madheshiya, an award-winning movie maker at the Cannes Film Festival. A documentary on Veruschka by Madheshiva was also screened at the event. 

PR/ Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj met the youth changemaker at the Permanent Mission of India, where she engaged on a broad spectrum of issues, including Agenda 2030 and SDG implementation in India.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / KARNATAKA: US firm Waters Corporation opens Global Capability Center in Bengaluru with $16 mn investment

US firm Waters Corporation, an analytical laboratory instrument and software company, inaugurated its new Global Capability Center (GCC) in Bengaluru’s RMZ Ecoworld technology park on Wednesday.

The new $16 million facility will employ more than 300 for roles enabling leading-edge software engineering, technology and product development, data analytics, and IT.

“India continues to be one of our fastest growing markets and a key location for the talent that we need to drive global customer success and innovation forward,” Waters Corporation President and CEO Udit Batra said.

“The Waters India GCC is an integrated extension of our global team, serving as a centre of excellence across areas such as software engineering, technology and product development. This is an exciting day for Waters as the future holds many possibilities.

“Opening the Waters GCC is a significant milestone for our team in India. We chose Bengaluru because of the availability and depth of talent, the friendly business environment, and its close proximity to our customers,” Waters India Pvt. Ltd General Manager T. Anilkumar said.

“Our GCC in Bengaluru will allow us to access and develop exceptional talent within Waters to accelerate our technological capabilities, operational excellence and productivity in support of our customers in India and around the world,” he added.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL / KARNATAKA: ELECTRONICS & AVIATION: HAL to host Avionics Expo in Delhi on December 7, 8 

The expo will unveil a comprehensive range of avionics products deployed in various aircraft platforms, including advanced flight control systems, communication systems and navigation systems.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will showcase its rich legacy in the design, development and production of a diverse range of avionics systems during Avionics Expo-2023, to be held at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, on December 7 and 8.

The Expo will be inaugurated by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

“We will demonstrate HAL’s capabilities and contributions toward self-reliance in avionics, to our stakeholders, including the Indian Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Civil Aviation, DRDO and other important institutions,” said CB Ananthakrishnan, CMD (Additional Charge), HAL.

The expo will unveil a comprehensive range of avionics products deployed in various aircraft platforms, including advanced flight control systems, communication systems and navigation systems. Several panel discussions will feature experts from the Armed Forces, HAL, partner organisations, and academia, providing a holistic view of the sector. 

“The event will serve as a hub for professionals, industry leaders and stakeholders from the aviation sector. They will have ample networking opportunities to establish meaningful connections, foster collaborations and explore potential business partnerships. It is a testament to HAL’s commitment to advancing aerospace technology in India,” said DK Sunil, Director (Engineering and R&D).

A section for live demonstrations will allow visitors to witness the performance and reliability of HAL’s avionics solutions in realtime scenarios. Engineering students from in and around Delhi have also been invited to gain the experience. HAL’s Avionics Expo aims to achieve self-reliance in avionics and is a testament to its commitment to advancing aerospace technology in India.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)