The Indian Coast Guard is in the process of inducting Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to enhance its surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence gathering capabilities, according to Director General Paramesh Sivamani in a recorded podcast on the YouTube by the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. The DG said, “As a forward-looking coast guard, we are also inducting state-of-the-art ships with cutting-edge technology. “
The DG further added that a similar will be the case for aircraft as well, which will be a force multiplier for us. Mr Sivamani said ICG is also in the process of inducting RPAs and UAVs, which will enhance the surveillance and reconnaissance, and intelligence gathering for us over the maritime domain. The RPA and UAV denote the Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
What are the Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles?
For those who don’t know, Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are both aircraft that operate without a pilot on board. One of the major differences in both these terms is that RPAs are specifically remotely piloted via a control link and pilot station. Meanwhile, the UAVs encompass a broader category that can include both remotely piloted and fully autonomous aircraft. To summarize, all remotely piloted aircraft are UAVs, but not all UAVs are remotely piloted.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle- It is a general term for any aircraft that operates without a human pilot on board. These vehicles can be controlled remotely or operate autonomously based on pre-programmed instructions.
Remotely Piloted Aircraft- Remotely Piloted Aircraft is a specific type of UAV that is controlled by a pilot from a remote location. It is done by using a control link and a remote pilot station. The pilot is not physically on the aircraft but is still actively controlling its flight.
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