[Update] IIT Bombay incubated ideaForge's unmanned aerial vehicle being used for rescue ops in Uttarakhand

A simple Google search about Uttrakhand is enough to know about the grave situation the state is in currently. The fury of nature has wreaked havoc and left the state in shambles. Rescue operations are underway and one of the shining contributions comes from an IIT Bombay incubated startup, ideaForge. (see the list of 50 startups being incubated at SINE)

Founded by 5 IIT Bombay alumni, ideaForge is in the business of developing alternative energy charging devices for various consumer electronic products and developing high end technologies in the field of autonomous aerial vehicles. The first product from the company is called Netra which is a collaborative development between ideaForge and DRDO. Netra is a completely autonomous hovering Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) ideal for short range missions and requires very short training time. The UAV is currently being used in Uttarakhand to assist in the rescue operations. Netra's have been deployed to scan the air space in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand in hope of locating missing survivorsNetra is a small eye zooming in the sky to gather real time intelligence on the ground. This unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), shaped like a spider and weighing less than 1.5 kg, is only a speck when flying at a height but it can give real time inputs to the team that is controlling it on the ground.

Product specs and performance:

Weight: 1.5 kg

Dimensions: 90 cm x 90 cm

Power source: External swappable Li-Po batteries

Payload: Hi-resolution daylight camera or Thermal Camera with Pan & Tilt control

Range: 1.5 km LOS

Endurance: 30 min per battery charge

Wind Resistance: Upto 15 knots

The ideaForge team is currently in Uttarakhand helping out with the operations, here are the pics:

The wider application for the device is with Anti-terrorist operations, Counter-insurgency in forested areas, Hostage situations, Border infiltration monitoring, Local law enforcement operations, Search and Rescue operations, Disaster management, Aerial Photography and more.

Website: ideaForge

Note: The post was updated with pictures on June 29th.