Pakistan Develops LOW COST UAV

Integrated Dynamics a local company is manufacturing and exporting unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) at $20,000 per price against starting price of $0.2 million in the global market. “The company has already exported UAVs to Spain, Australia, South Korea, and Libya,” Raja Sabri Khan, chief executive Integrated Dynamics said talking to the News at his stall at Expo Centre during the ongoing IDEAS 2006. “During past 18 months our company has exported approximately over $0.3 million worth of UAVs,” he said. “Visiting delegates from France, Turkey, Egypt, and Germany have visited this stall and showed interest in collaboration,” he said adding that talks are in initial phase and hopefully result would be better. Raja said that the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), play a significant role in war strategy. UAV are used for surveillance during peace and detection of enemy positions in war. He told The News, “With a background in Aerospace, I started about 15 years ago and today my company not only indigenously manufactures UAV, but exports the same to several countries of the world.” Elaborating the importance of UAV, Raja said that developments have been in progress and people will see that the remote controlled instrument or the UAV would be the most effective equipment during peace and war. “We are the only company in Pakistan that had exported the Pak-made UAV to Australia, South Korea, USA and others,” he mentioned adding that Pakistan has capability to produce more if government supports the private sector in this venture. “UAV having ranges of five to five thousand kilometres are available in global markets and our models have operational range of 20 to 1600 kilometres. Our product has the almost the same system as UAV made in developed countries yet our rates are higly competitive,” he said. “In the world market the price of a UAV starts at about $0.2 million but we sell almost the same product at $20,000,” he said. Regarding ‘Tornado’ one of the products Integrated Dynamics, he said that it appears on the radar as a fighter aircraft for which it would be targeted giving away the exact location of enemy. Responding to a question he said that, cooperation from the government would improve company’s performance and put Pakistan on UAV supply source map in the world market. Replying to another question he said that development in the aerospace industry needs extra-ordinary government patronage particularly in education, research and trade.