DRDO Closed Drone Biggest Project Tapas: India's biggest UAV project was worth Rs.1650 crore, why did the government suddenly stop it? -

DRDO Closed Drone Biggest Project Tapas: Rs. 1650 Crore worth “Project Taspas“ was suddenly stopped by the government. The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is in charge of “Project Tapas”. It began in 2011 and cost Rs 1,650 crore at the start. On Sunday, top government leaders said that the project was now finally over.

India has stopped the army from building the biggest unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) project ever. This plane was being built so that it could spy on and keep an eye on the enemy. The project was supposed to meet the needs of the army, but it failed, so the government quit it.

DRDO Closed Drone Biggest Project Tapas: The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) was in charge of this project. It began in 2011 and cost Rs 1,650 crore at first. On Sunday, top government leaders said that the project was now finally over. The Army also recently got four Heron Mark-II UAVs with SATCOM capabilities.

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Details About: DRDO Closed Drone Biggest Project Tapas

Aspect	Details
Project Name	Project Tapas
Executing Organization	Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO)
Commencement Year	2011
Initial Cost	Rs 1,650 crore
Project Termination	The government decided to halt the project
Reasons for Failure	1. Project delays and cost overruns
	2. Weight issue – The final drone weighed 2,850 kg, affecting flight performance
	3. Engine issues – Imported engine with packaging problems
Flight Characteristics	Could fly at 28,000 feet for 18 hours, falling short of the army’s requirement for 30,000 feet and 24 hours
Test Flights	Flown about 200 times during tests, experienced at least two crashes
Current Status	Project officially declared over; DRDO to explore new avenues for a more effective drone
Alternative Drone Acquisition	Army recently received four Heron Mark-II UAVs with SATCOM capabilities
Additional Drone Needs	Army aims to acquire approximately 150 more drones for long-range observation and accurate shooting
Disagreements Surrounding	Some speculation about intentional obstruction by influential individuals
International Drone Acquisition	Procurement of high-tech drones from Israel and the United States as part of multi-billion-dollar deals
Recent Developments	Army received four new Heron Mark-II drones for border monitoring along the China border

Why did Project Tapas fail?

DRDO Closed Drone Biggest Project Tapas: The Tapas project by DRDO was a big one that made drones. Its real job was to spy on and keep an eye on the enemies. The project was supposed to be done in 2016, but it took longer than planned and cost more than planned. The drone got very heavy, which was a big problem. It weighed 2,850 kg when it was done. It wasn’t able to fly well because it was so heavy. Second, the project’s engine came from outside of the country, and there were issues with the package that had to be put on the drone.

Crashed twice

It’s also known as Tapas-201, and its job was to spy from afar. It was flown about 200 times during tests, but at least two crashes happened. It was most problematic that this drone could not meet the army’s needs. This drone did not have the important things that the army had asked for.

Could fly only for 18 hours

Some people say that the Tapas drone couldn’t meet the army’s needs for flight time and height. That was the only time it could fly at 28,000 feet for 18 hours. The army needed more time than that. It’s important for the Army that the planes they use can fly up to 30,000 feet and stay in the air for at least 24 hours. DRDO will now try to make a new and better plane since Tapas wasn’t able to do it.

Army needs 150 new drones

DRDO Closed Drone Biggest Project Tapas: The ending of the Tapas project has caused some disagreement. Some people say that some important people have stopped this Indian attempt on purpose. It’s important for the army to have drones for long-range observation and accurate shooting. So, over the last few years, they’ve bought a lot of Searcher, Heron Mark-I, and Mark-II drones from Israel. They need about 150 more drones now.

The Tapas drone project, part of DRDO’s initiatives in unmanned combat aerial vehicles, is committed to addressing the challenges faced during trials and enhancing the drone’s performance. DRDO continues to play a crucial role in advancing drone technology.

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A story from TOI says that the Army has recently received four new drones to improve monitoring along the border with China. These are “Heron Mark-II” planes that don’t need a driver and can connect to a satellite. A lot of high-tech drones are also being sought by the government from the United States.

These are part of the $3 billion deal that will give 31 of these drones to the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The new drones can fly very high and stay airborne for a long time. These will help you spy on your enemies and find them.