Ludhiana businessman designs ‘half scale’ UAV

LUDHIANA - A Ludhiana-based businessman who started off with aero modelling as a hobby has designed a ‘half scale’ unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

UAV is a light aerial vehicle used by the air force for border surveillance and light combat. Since it is an unmanned vehicle the Air Force uses it to navigate sensitive areas without loss of human life.

“After completing my college studies, I joined my family business, which is a company engaged in manufacturing bicycle parts known by the bhogal brand,” Manjeev Bhogal, owner of Bhogal Hobby Tech, said.

“After joining the business, defence forces approached for aero modelling training because they were aware of my hobby because of NCC Air Wing. When they approached us we started giving training army personnel and officers as hobby flyers,” he added.

Currently, the IAF trains its pilots with UAVs imported from Israel.

Manjeev Bhogal’s company is now eyeing an order which will enable it to manufacture ‘half- scale’UAVs at half the import price of 800,000 rupees.

For five years, Bhogal hobby tech has been manufacturing small training aero models for the UAV squadrons of the IAF, Indian Army and the Indian Navy training.

The company has supplied about 24 aero models and flight simulators to the National Cadet Corps (NCC) to train their cadets for microlite flying. (ANI)