Hyderabad-based defence startup says ready with UAV for high-altitude combat needs

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On Tuesday, Kumbala displayed two of his prototypes at an event organised by the Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME) in Secunderabad. His prototypes looked like miniature versions of a helicopter and, according to him, have multiple use cases depending on the applications.

“My latest rotary-winged UAV can take off from any hostile terrain and fly carrying a payload of 60kg at over 18,000 feet regardless of the gusting winds and snow for 6 hours. The CXS-250 can be used for day or night operations. If funded by the government, I can convert my design into a prototype ready for a flight test in 9 months,” said Kumbala. The model, however, was not on display on Tuesday.

His first product, named CN-50, can fly for 2 hours straight, covering 50 km, with a payload of 10 kg at a height of 9000 feet. Except for the engine that was procured from Europe, the model is developed in India. “We are in test readiness level 9 and currently lab tests on the rig are going on. It can carry a 4 km range missile on it.”

Several industry experts as well as defence start-ups took part in the seminar.  (Express Photo by Rahul V Pisharody)

According to him, the CX-80, his second model on display, was even better because it used a coaxial rotary-wing (one rotor on top of another on a single axis and rotating them in opposite directions). “With a payload of 20 kg, this UAV can endure 4 hours flight at 16,400 feet above sea level. My drones can operate at GPS-denied locations as it works on inertial navigation systems. It has a floatation system for 3 hours and a deck finder for landing, apart from a camera with 15 km long vision,” added Kumbala, listing out the advantages of his product.

‘Iron Curtains are Off. Send a proposal via WhatsApp or Email’ for evaluation

Speaking to indianexpress.com, Lieutenant General TSA Narayanan, Commandant of MCEME, and Colonel Commandant, Corps of EME, said the iron curtains were off and the Indian Army is fully open to helping startups. “It is as simple as sending a proposal via a Whatsapp message or an email to the Army Design Bureau (ADB),” he said.

Titled ‘Encouraging Defence Startups Towards Development of Military-Industrial Complex (MIC) in Telangana State’, the seminar was organised by MCEME in collaboration with the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI). The Indian Army will collaborate with the Telangana state government to encourage more defence startups at the state government’s innovation ecosystem enabler, T-Hub.

Taking note of the concerns shared by startups during the seminar, Maj Gen KV Jauhar, the Additional Director General of Army Design Bureau, Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX), agreed to share his contact details on the website for startups to approach him. “All the problem statements of the Army are there on the internet. Send a proposal to him (ADG-ADB) on WhatsApp or email. He will have a video conference with the startup and if they (ADB) find it interesting, they will be called to Delhi for further processes,” added Lt Gen Narayanan.

Several industry experts as well as defence start-ups took part in the seminar. The ADB has urged all participant startups to submit their proposals. Kumbala now hopes that the government will handhold him from here. “I am running out of patience. I have invested all my earnings to fund my projects. I can survive barely six more months in this manner,” he added.