India is in talks to purchase 30 MQ-9B drones for improved surveillance of the Chinese border and the Indian Ocean region. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has been chosen to provide Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services for the drones' engines.

 HAL and HENSOLDT collaboration agreement.

• Tech Transfer Collaboration between India and Germany.
• Design/IPR Transfer for Obstacle Avoidance System (OAS) for Indian helicopters such as the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). OAS system will provide smart visual cues to pilots to reduce their workload.
• LiDAR-based sensor with synthetic vision and 3D conformal symbology detects objects and terrain, enhances situational awareness.
• Increases flight safety, mission effectiveness, and reduces pilot workload during crucial mission phases under adverse visual conditions.

HENSOLDT is a German technology company specializing in defense electronics and sensor solutions. HENSOLDT is a leading supplier of radar, electronic warfare, and optronics systems for military and civilian applications. Headquartered in Taufkirchen, Germany, HENSOLDT has operations in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

MQ-9B Sea Guardian

The MQ-9B Sea Guardian is a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) designed and manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). This drone is a variant of the Predator B drone and is specifically designed for maritime surveillance missions. The Sea Guardian has been widely adopted by many countries worldwide, including the US, UK, and India.

The Sea Guardian is a long-endurance drone, which can fly up to 40 hours and cover a range of 9,000 nautical miles. It can operate at an altitude of up to 50,000 feet, allowing for a wide area of coverage. This drone is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors, including a multimode maritime radar, a high-definition electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera, and an automatic identification system (AIS) receiver, making it a powerful surveillance tool.

The Sea Guardian has a maximum takeoff weight of 11,000 pounds and can carry a variety of payloads, including missiles and bombs. It is capable of performing a wide range of missions, including maritime surveillance, search and rescue, border patrol, and anti-piracy operations. The Sea Guardian can be operated from land-based stations or from ships.

One of the key features of the Sea Guardian is its advanced detect-and-avoid system, which allows it to fly safely in civilian airspace. The drone is equipped with a traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS), as well as a sense-and-avoid system (SAA), which uses radar and other sensors to detect and avoid obstacles in its flight path.

The Sea Guardian has been widely adopted by many countries, including the US, UK, and India. In the US, the drone is operated by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the US Coast Guard. The UK Royal Air Force has also deployed the Sea Guardian for maritime surveillance operations. In India, the drone has been purchased by the Indian Navy for use in maritime patrol and surveillance missions.

Indian Navy operates two MQ-9B Sea Guardians taken on lease in 2020.

LiDAR Technology: A Revolutionary Innovation for Spatial Mapping

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology is a remote sensing method that uses laser light to measure distances to the Earth's surface. It has proved to be a crucial innovation in the field of spatial mapping and remote sensing. The technology finds its applications in various fields such as archaeology, forestry, agriculture, urban planning, and topographic mapping.

Working of LiDAR Technology:

LiDAR technology uses an active remote sensing system, which means that it sends out pulses of laser light and measures the time taken for the laser light to reflect back from the Earth's surface. The laser beam travels at a speed of 299,792 kilometers per second, and the time taken for the light to reflect back is used to calculate the distance from the object. It can generate accurate 3D information about earth surface and target object.

Components of LiDAR:

• A LiDAR system consists of the following essential components:
• Laser Source: It is the source of the laser beam that emits light.
• Scanner: It moves the laser beam in different directions.
• Photodetector: It detects the laser light that is reflected back from the object.
• GPS Receiver: It provides the exact location of the object.

Applications of LiDAR:

• Forestry: LiDAR technology helps in the measurement of the height, width, and canopy density of trees in a forest. It also helps in the estimation of biomass, carbon storage, and forest fire management.
• Agriculture: LiDAR technology is used in precision agriculture to map the topography of the land, detect crop health, and estimate yield.
• Archaeology: LiDAR technology helps in the discovery and mapping of archaeological sites by detecting subtle changes in the landscape.
• Urban Planning: LiDAR technology assists in the mapping of the city's terrain, buildings, and infrastructure. It also helps in the analysis of the impact of development projects on the environment.
• Topographic Mapping: LiDAR technology provides precise elevation data that is used for topographic mapping, floodplain mapping, and disaster management.