As expected, delay again. I expect the maiden flight will likely be conducted in first semester 2022.....
Domestically Made Drones Ready to Fly for the First Time in late 2021
Tuesday 10 Aug 2021 16:39 WIB
Rep: Rizky Suryarandika/ Red: Agus Yulianto
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) plans to make the first flight of the PUNA Elang Hitam (Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aircraft) at the end of 2021. This technological innovation in the defense sector is part of the Commemoration of Awakening Day. National Technology (Hakteknas) every August 10.
Head of
BPPT Hammam Riza said, PUNA Elang Hitam is a leap in today's technology to reach advanced technology in the future. PUNA Black Eagle can operate automatically and has a flight endurance of more than 24 hours.
This project was jointly developed in a national consortium involving the Ministry of Defense, Indonesian Air Force, BPPT, LAPAN, ITB, PT DI, and PT LEN. BPPT was appointed as the coordinator of the National Research Priority (PRN) of PUNA Elang Hitam in accordance with the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education Regulation No. 38 of 2019.
"The ultimate goal of the
PUNA Elang Hitam Consortium is to accommodate the needs of the main weapon system (Alutsista) TNI, especially combatant drones that are in the same class as the advanced drones belonging to Turkey (AnKA), the United States (Predator), and Israel (Heron)," Hammam said in a statement. press statement, Tuesday (10/8).
Hammam assessed that the mastery of the Black Eagle PUNA technology could be a means of advancing national defense technology. Then gradually build the technological independence of the MALE type PUNA sub-system by the consortium members. So that it can produce MALE combatant drone products that can be accepted by the
Indonesian Air Force according to the requirements.
Hammam explained that the work on preparing the PUNA Elang Hitam drone was divided into three supporting sub-activities, namely the construction of platforms (rides), the construction of the flight control system (FCS) and mission system, as well as the development of weapons systems and their integration.
"We invite all parties to succeed so that PUNA Elang Hitam can fly for the first time in 2021 and carry out the best possible stages to be able to realize the combatant mission in 2025," said Hammam.
Hammam hopes that the Black Eagle PUNA can save national foreign exchange. Thus, a lot of added value from the design and manufacturing process can be absorbed into the country.
"Savings on the procurement of the Black Eagle PUNA, mastery of the design and design of the Black Eagle PUNA will grow the unmanned aircraft industry and other component/support industries, such as servo electric motors, landing gear," said Hammam.
PUNA Elang Hitam dapat beroperasi otomatis dan tahan terbang lebih 24 jam.
www.republika.co.id
