Startup firm IG Drones Develops India’s First 5G-enabled Drone, Skyhawk: Startup firm IG Drones, which was born out of the Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) campus in Odisha’s Sambalpur has developed a 5G-enabled drone that is capable of vertical take-off and landing. It doesn’t require a conventional runway because it can VTOL (vertical take-off and land) from any terrain.
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Significance of Skyhawk Drones:
- The drone named Skyhawk can be used in defence and medical applications, among other sectors. The drone can carry a 10 kg payload and has an endurance of around five hours.
- With Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) providing 5G services in the country, these drones can be controlled with much more precision and can be controlled from the command centre directly rather than being on the field.
- With the addition of Artificial intelligence and thermal imaging capabilities, the drones can be used in monitoring border intrusion and also during regular patrolling by the defence forces.
- It is IP67 rated and can be controlled via a combination of NavIC + GPS navigational satellites which remain connected in the upper range of 50 to 60 in case of failsafe activation.
- In the event that an internet connection is not available, the drone can also be controlled through satellite.
About IG Drones Other Projects:
IG Drones is developing new technology-based disaster response and mitigation to increase the efficiency and efficacy of first responders’ aid in emergency response and catastrophe mapping. In the midst of major catastrophes like the Assam Floods, Amphan Cyclone, Fani Cyclone, Jajpur Flood in Odisha, Maharashtra Flood, and Uttarakhand CloudBurst, they have used drone and GIS technologies to save hundreds of thousands of lives.
IG Drones had developed a SaaS global platform for unmanned flight has been a godsend to the disaster management community which has helped their stand to ace at People’s Choice Awards by Airwards.
The SaaS platform also assists in the interpolation of micro-level high-resolution drone data with low-resolution satellite imagery data, which is a key function. Various stakeholders in the pre- and post-disaster ecosystem, ranging from Disaster Management Authorities to Humanitarian Organizations, Growers, and Banking Institutions, have used the SaaS Platform for the analysed Drone data to help bring all important actors together in an integrated framework. They have been recognised as India’s top drone consultancy.
