New Delhi: The government’s technical intelligence wing NTRO has increased “man hours” of sorties by unmanned aerial vehicles to cover more Maoist-affected areas amid hints the flying surveillance could reach 20 hours a day by the end of the year.
A source said an “increase to 20 hours per day would be achieved by December”, which would mean twice the coverage in terms of hours the UAVs, a key component in the battle against the rebels, are deployed now.
Sources said the increase would be incremental, or gradual, from the five-to-10-hour missions at present.
The December deadline is also linked to a plan to set up an additional UAV base at Nandini airport in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh.
The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) now undertakes UAV operations from Begumpet airfield in Hyderabad to support anti-Maoist manoeuvres by paramilitary forces.
Since December 2012, the UAVs have contributed to a number of successful operations.
28/08/13 Nishit Dholabhai/The Telegraph
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A source said an “increase to 20 hours per day would be achieved by December”, which would mean twice the coverage in terms of hours the UAVs, a key component in the battle against the rebels, are deployed now.
Sources said the increase would be incremental, or gradual, from the five-to-10-hour missions at present.
The December deadline is also linked to a plan to set up an additional UAV base at Nandini airport in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh.
The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) now undertakes UAV operations from Begumpet airfield in Hyderabad to support anti-Maoist manoeuvres by paramilitary forces.
Since December 2012, the UAVs have contributed to a number of successful operations.
28/08/13 Nishit Dholabhai/The Telegraph
