The Indian Air Force has announced India’s first competition in the defence sector, the Mehar Baba Prize.
The Indian Air Force has announced India’s first competition in the defence sector, the Mehar Baba Prize. In the wake of floods, cyclones and other natural disasters across the country, the IAF is holding a competition for participants to build a swarm of 50 drones to lead Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. The competition, in line with Make in India, is spread over three phases, from ideation to production.
The IAF will pick up to three winners, each of whom will get Rs 10 lakh in prize money and an opportunity to co-produce a Rs 100 crore order for induction of the drones to the Force.
The competition is divided into three phases. The last date to submit an application to enter the competition is November 14, 2018. If shortlisted, the first phase of the competition is to submit a proposal for a drone prototype by December 18, 2018. The white paper will also detail a plan for the next two phases which involve developing designs for the drones.
The Mehar Baba Prize has been named after Commodore Mehar Singh, DSO MVC, who was often called Mehar Baba. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in 1936 at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, UK, and was posted to No. 1 Squadron — the only squadron then based in North West Frontier — in the Royal Indian Air Force. After Independence, Mehar Baba became the first to land in J&K’s Srinagar, Poonch, Leh, Ladakh and also in Daulat Beg Oldie, which was the highest altitude airstrip in the world.
The IAF will pick up to three winners, each of whom will get Rs 10 lakh in prize money and an opportunity to co-produce a Rs 100 crore order for induction of the drones to the Force.
The competition is divided into three phases. The last date to submit an application to enter the competition is November 14, 2018. If shortlisted, the first phase of the competition is to submit a proposal for a drone prototype by December 18, 2018. The white paper will also detail a plan for the next two phases which involve developing designs for the drones.
The Mehar Baba Prize has been named after Commodore Mehar Singh, DSO MVC, who was often called Mehar Baba. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in 1936 at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, UK, and was posted to No. 1 Squadron — the only squadron then based in North West Frontier — in the Royal Indian Air Force. After Independence, Mehar Baba became the first to land in J&K’s Srinagar, Poonch, Leh, Ladakh and also in Daulat Beg Oldie, which was the highest altitude airstrip in the world.