Government to provide Rs 151 crore funding to ideaForge for heavy-lift drone YETI
The Technology Development Board under the Department of Science & Technology has signed an agreement to provide Rs 151 crore in Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) funding to ideaForge to develop YETI, a heavy-lift, long-range autonomous aerial logistics vehicle, an official statement said on Wednesday.
The funding aims to advance the technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-4 to TRL-9, and the support will be provided through debt financing.
The project, with a total project cost of Rs 302 crore aims to develop YETI, which is designed for demanding operating environments. It is an autonomous vertical take-off and landing, fixed-wing hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle (VTOL-FW UAV) intended to transport heavy payloads over long distances.
YETI can address logistics requirements in areas where conventional transportation can be difficult, time-consuming or operationally constrained.
The platform is designed to carry payloads of up to 200 kg, with a targeted range of up to 200 km and an operating altitude of up to 6,500 metres above mean sea level.
Its weather-resistant design is intended to support operations in challenging environments, including high-altitude regions, deserts and marine conditions, the statement noted.
YETI can take off and land vertically while retaining a fixed-wing configuration for longer-range operations, the statement from the Ministry of Science & Technology.
“The vehicle is designed to operate from relatively small, unprepared landing areas measuring approximately 15 metres × 15 metres, enabling deployment in locations with limited ground infrastructure,” the statement noted.
