By IANS
Agra : Indian scientists have developed a tiny gadget that can not only keep an eye on enemy territory without being noticed but can also help in traffic management.
The details of the device were disclosed at the first national flying competition of Micro Aerial Vehicles (MICAV) at the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) here.
Lt. Gen. V.J. Sundaram and ADRDE director Balraj Gupta Friday said the tiny unmanned device can keep afloat in the air for 15 to 20 minutes and send photographic data to computer networks.
Soldiers on the borders can also use it to observe movements across the enemy line. Just 30 cm wide, the device looks like a bird to untrained eyes. It can survey an area of roughly one square kilometre from a height of 500 metres. It weighs about 400 gm and is powered by a rechargeable battery.
Sources said the actual production of the device could take as long as three years after a series of field trials and improvements from feedback were made available.
Agra will host an international MICAV competition in March 2008 in which teams from Japan, the US, France, Britain, Israel and some other countries are expected to participate.