Crash of Drishti-10 UAV During Training Sortie
The Indian Navy confirmed the crash of an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the Drishti-10, off the Porbandar airfield in Gujarat on Wednesday. The incident occurred during a training sortie in the afternoon, but no injury or loss of life has been reported on the ground, officials said.
Official Confirmation and Investigation
The Navy released a statement on social media, stating: "Indian Navy confirms the crash of Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Drishti-10, off Porbandar airfield, during a training sortie this afternoon. NO INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE has been reported on the ground. The cause of the incident is being investigated."
Details of the Crash Site
Porbandar District Collector S D Dhanani told reporters that the UAV crash-landed in an open field at Dharampur village, approximately 6 km from the coastal city in the Saurashtra region. "Navy personnel already reached the spot and started further investigation," he said.
Aircraft Type and Mission
The Drishti-10 is an unmanned aerial vehicle in the Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) category. It is primarily used for surveillance and maritime domain awareness purposes. The UAV had taken off from the Naval Air Enclave in Porbandar before it went down in the nearby field.
No Civilian Harm Reported
Officials emphasized that the crash occurred in an open field, and no casualties or injuries were reported among the civilian population. The Navy has initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
