With robots & drones dominating warfare, DIAT sets up robotic lab
Pune: Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) has established a laboratory to conduct advanced research in robotics and drones for both military and civilian applications.
The lab is equipped with various robotic models, including quadrupeds, providing practical exposure to students and officers from the armed forces studying at Military Institute of Technology (MILIT).
The primary goal of this facility is to foster collaboration in research and enhance the application of robotics in modern warfare and defence operations. "As robotics and drone technology evolve rapidly on a global scale, it is essential to study these subjects in depth.
Therefore, providing advanced practical exposure is crucial in this field of study. This lab will achieve these objectives," RK Satpathy, Director of the School of Robotics, told TOI.
He said that the dedicated lab was established on campus to facilitate collaboration between MTech students and armed forces officers at MILIT. Previously, students completed projects with military personnel, and now they will focus on developing military applications for robotics and drones.
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DIAT is the only deemed university under Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and offers a dedicated MTech course in robotics since 2016. Students from this institute often join DRDO labs as scientists. "We received several functional robotic models from Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) lab in Dighi. Our students worked in that lab to enhance their understanding of robotics and associated technologies," said officials.
As military operational requirements are extremely dynamic and demanding, it is necessary to know the 'problem statements' of the forces. "Then only researchers can work on niche technologies to achieve the operational requirements of the forces," said armed forces officers who worked in robotics systems.
"The use of robotics in actual field operations is at a very primitive stage in the Indian armed forces. Therefore, it has become necessary for the forces to do adequate research to achieve global standards in this field. Such laboratories would certainly make a positive difference in the future," a senior officer from MILIT said.
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