UPSC Prelims 2025Question 42Security

With reference to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), consider the following statements:
I. All types of UAVs can do vertical landing.
II. All types of UAVs can do automated hovering.
III. All types of UAVs can use battery only as a source of power supply.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

Options

(a)Only one
(b)Only two
(c)All the three
(d)None

Correct answer: a

Decision rule

A capability fixed by airframe design — vertical landing, hovering — cannot hold for all UAVs, because fixed-wing designs lack it.

Explanation

Correct Answer:

(a) Only one

Explanation of the Correct Answer:

Let’s evaluate each statement about UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles):

Statement I: All types of UAVs can do vertical landing
- Incorrect. Only VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) UAVs (like quadcopters, some drones with tilt-rotor design) can land vertically.
- Fixed-wing UAVs require a runway or catapult system for takeoff and often need a strip or net for landing.
- Therefore, this does not apply to all UAVs.

Statement II: All types of UAVs can do automated hovering
- Incorrect. Hovering requires the ability to generate lift without forward motion, which only rotary-wing or multirotor UAVs can do.
- Fixed-wing UAVs cannot hover in place as they rely on air flowing over wings for lift.
- Hence, not all UAVs are capable of automated hovering.

Statement III: All types of UAVs can use battery only as a source of power supply
- Correct. While not all UAVs use batteries, all UAVs can use batteries as a power source depending on design.
- Even large UAVs can be battery-powered, although hybrid systems (gasoline + battery) or fuel cells are also used.
- The key word is "can" — and technically any UAV can be powered by batteries, even if not practical in every case.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

(b) Only two – Incorrect: Only Statement III is correct.
(c) All the three – Incorrect: Only one (Statement III) is correct.
(d) None – Incorrect: One statement is correct (Statement III).

Relevant Supplementary Information

Table: Evaluation of Each Statement

Statement	Content	Correct?	Explanation
I	All UAVs can do vertical landing	No	Only VTOL-capable UAVs (e.g., quadcopters) can do this
II	All UAVs can do automated hovering	No	Only rotary-wing UAVs can hover; fixed-wing cannot
III	All UAVs can use battery only for power	Yes	While not optimal for all, any UAV can be battery-powered depending on design

Related Concepts:

Term	Explanation
VTOL	Vertical Take-Off and Landing – used in multirotor and tiltrotor UAVs
Fixed-Wing UAV	UAV with airplane-like structure, requires runway or catapult for takeoff/landing
Hovering	Ability to stay stationary in the air; typically seen in rotary-wing UAVs
Power Sources	Include batteries (Li-ion, Li-Po), gasoline, hybrid engines, hydrogen fuel cells

Current Relevance:

India is actively scaling up its UAV ecosystem under Drone Rules, 2021 and PLI schemes.
UAVs are critical for agriculture, defense, disaster management, logistics, and surveillance.
Tech development is pushing towards hybrid UAVs for longer endurance and AI-enabled automated functions like hovering and vertical landing in select models only.

Table: UAV Types and Capabilities

UAV Type	Vertical Landing	Automated Hovering	Battery as Power Source	Primary Use Cases
Fixed-Wing UAV	No	No	Can use battery (but often use fuel)	Long-range surveillance, mapping, defense
Rotary-Wing UAV	Yes	Yes	Commonly battery-powered	Surveillance, delivery, inspection
Multirotor UAV	Yes	Yes	Standard power source	Civilian drones, photography, short-range use
VTOL Hybrid UAV	Yes	Some models	or Hybrid (battery + fuel)	High-end mapping, cargo drones, defense
Fuel Cell UAV	Some models	Some models	Primary power is hydrogen fuel	Long-endurance missions
Tethered UAV	Yes	Yes	Powered via ground tether	Persistent surveillance, communication

Key Concepts Explained

Concept	Explanation
Vertical Landing	Ability to land without a runway; possible in VTOL-capable UAVs like multirotors or tiltrotors
Automated Hovering	Ability to remain stationary in the air using onboard sensors and software (GPS, IMU, barometer)
Battery Power in UAVs	Most small- to mid-size UAVs use Li-ion or Li-Po batteries; large UAVs may use hybrid or fuel-based power
Fixed-Wing vs Rotary-Wing	Fixed-wing UAVs fly like airplanes and cannot hover; rotary-wing UAVs (like drones) can hover
Hybrid UAVs	Combine features of fixed-wing and rotary systems; may have dual power sources

Important Notes

"Can use battery" ≠ "Uses only battery": The question used "can," which implies possibility — not exclusivity or universality.
Vertical landing and hovering are design-specific features — not universally present across all UAVs.

Table 1: Drones in India for Defence Purposes

Drone Name	Type	Origin	Primary Use	Operator	Key Features
Heron TP	MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance)	Israel	Reconnaissance, surveillance	Indian Air Force, Army	30+ hours endurance, satellite comms
Searcher II	Tactical UAV	Israel	Surveillance, reconnaissance	Army, Navy, IAF	Day/night sensors, tactical intelligence
Rustom-II (TAPAS BH-201)	MALE UAV	Indigenous (DRDO)	ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Reconnaissance)	Under user evaluation	24–30 hrs endurance, Indian equivalent to Heron
Nishant	Tactical UAV (Catapult-launched)	Indigenous (DRDO)	Battlefield surveillance, artillery correction	Indian Army (limited use)	Short-range, launched via mobile launcher
Panchi	Wheeled variant of Nishant	Indigenous	Reconnaissance	Prototype/testing	Takeoff and landing via runway
Harop (Loitering Munition)	Suicide Drone	Israel	SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defences)	Indian Armed Forces	Explosive payload, precision strike
Switch UAV	VTOL Tactical UAV	India (IdeaForge)	Surveillance in high-altitude areas	Indian Army	Quick deployment, 2+ hrs endurance
MQ-9B SeaGuardian (planned procurement)	HALE UAV	USA	Maritime surveillance, strategic ISR	Navy (and possibly IAF)	Armed version in future, long-range, satellite-guided

Table 2: Drones in India for Civil Purposes

Drone Name	Type	Origin	Use Cases	Sectors/Users	Key Features
Garuda Kisan Drone	Agricultural Drone	Indigenous	Spraying fertilizers, pesticides	Agriculture sector (FPOs, agri-tech)	10–20 kg payload, autonomous flight
Aarav Unmanned (Agri/Raptor Series)	Mapping and surveying	India (Aarav Unmanned)	Land mapping, mining surveys	Survey of India, private agencies	RTK GPS, high-resolution photogrammetry
IdeaForge NETRA V4	Mini UAV (VTOL)	Indigenous	Surveillance, disaster response	NDRF, police, civil agencies	Real-time video, GPS-based, ~90 minutes flight
Drona Aviation Pluto	Educational nano drone	India (IIT Bombay startup)	Drone education, coding	Students, edtech firms	Compact, programmable via smartphone
Zuppa Geo	Geo-mapping Drone	India	Precision agriculture, surveying	Agriculture, urban planning	GIS integration, cloud connectivity
Skylark Micro Drone	Micro surveillance drone	Indigenous	Crowd management, law enforcement	Police departments	Night vision, autonomous patrolling
Redwing Aerospace Drones	Fixed-wing delivery drones	Indigenous	Healthcare and essential goods delivery	Govt. pilot programs, remote logistics	BVLOS compliant, 40+ km range

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