DRDO plans foray into artificial intelligence and robotics

CHENNAI: The DRDO is planning to foray into artificial intelligence and robotics, building a long range radar that can cover 1,000 km, developing self-protection suites for fighter aircraft and also on electro-optic surveillance systems for submarines.

DRDO Chairman S Christopher, flanked by top officials, told reporters that the organisation is making a foray into artificial intelligence and robotics to digitise the three services.

Subrata Rakshit, a scientist at the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, said the DRDO is trying to develop a set of robots for surveillance. He said services need to come to a certain level of digitalisation. “We are developing these large applications software and putting in Artificial Intelligence technology. It is a gradual process. Robotics will be used in industry to do our designs,” Rakshit said.

Christopher said the DRDO has earmarked `18,000 crore as investment for the current fiscal and has allocated about 25 to 30 per cent for developing new projects. DRDO Scientific Adviser to Raksha Mantri G Satheesh Reddy said they were working on “anti-tank missiles”,which can be launched both from helicopters and ground.