Have you heard? India has recently made a big move, and its Ministry of Defense has shown off a brand-new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) model FWD-200B, which is a bold attempt by India in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles.
However, as soon as this thing was unveiled, it caused a lot of discussions, some liked and some picky, which was really lively.
Let's talk about the capabilities of this drone first. It is said that it can carry 100 kilograms of fuel, can soar to a maximum speed of 370 km / h, has a maximum take-off weight of nearly half a ton, can fly to a height of 2,743 meters, has a combat radius of 200 kilometers, has a maximum load of 100 kilograms, and can stay in the air for 12 to 20 hours.
Doesn't that sound like a good number? But don't worry, we'll have to compare them.
For example, the American MQ-9 "Reaper" UAV, which is a big man in the UAV industry, has a maximum take-off weight of ten times that of FWD-200B, and the flight altitude can touch the clouds, reaching more than 15,000 meters.
In this comparison, the FWD-200B seems to be a bit under-sighted.
However, Indians are still very confident in their treasures. What they are most proud of is that the price of this drone is cheap, compared with the American "Predator", the price is only one-tenth of that of others.
This is part of India's "Make in India" initiative, which aims to reduce dependence on foreign weapons and improve the competitiveness of its defence industry.
However, cheap is cheap, and performance and reliability have to keep up. The exterior design of the FWD-200B, especially the four engines and propellers, is a bit confusing.
Can this kind of "slotted" propeller design really improve flight efficiency? Don't end up flying slowly and fuel-intensively, then the gains outweigh the losses.
Moreover, drones are not only capable of flying high and fast, but also smart and able to complete tasks independently. In the future, drones will have to be able to find targets on their own, dodge missiles on their own, and even return to the base by themselves.
This requires powerful artificial intelligence and autonomous control systems, and it is difficult to say what level of these technologies, the Indian FWD-200B can reach.
Let's talk about the international situation. As soon as the drones on India's side appeared, Pakistan bought China's "Rainbow-4B" drones, and the price was much cheaper than India's "Reaper" from the United States.
This can't help but make people think that the competition in the field of UAVs is not only the competition of technology, but also the competition of price and market.
When it comes to the market, we have to mention China. China's drone manufacturing capabilities are world-famous.
Chengfei's "Pterodactyl II" UAV has fast production speed, low cost and many models, which is very competitive in the international market. If India wants a piece of the pie in this area, it has to work harder.
Drones are not cheap when it comes to saying that they are cheap, especially for those countries that rely on imports. A high-performance drone, that's a lot of money.
Moreover, the combat mode of the UAV determines that it is a consumable, and several aircraft may be lost in one battle. Therefore, only those countries that can produce on a large scale and at a reasonable price can have a head start in drone warfare.
India's FWD-200B, although it is only the beginning, represents India's determination and ambition in the field of UAVs.
This road will certainly not be smooth sailing, but as long as Indians can persevere, keep learning, and keep improving, one day, they can fly freely in the blue sky.