In order to foster the growing indigenous drone industry, the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri launched the “MEHAR BABA COMPETITION-II” at Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan) on 6 April 2022. The competition is aimed at developing technology for a “Swarm Drone Based System to Detect Foreign Objects on Aircraft Operating Surfaces”. Known affectionately as Mehar Baba by his fans, the competition is named in honour of the legendary Air Commodore Mehar Singh, MVC, DSO. The first edition of the competition was launched in October 2018 and concluded in October 2021.
Maintaining the aircraft operating surfaces free of Foreign Object Debris (FOD) is a significant challenge for all aircraft operators. In many cases, this task is a labour-intensive one that has to be repeated over the course of the day. It is possible to use this manpower more effectively if personnel were able to focus solely on their core duties. Furthermore, it can be difficult to spot FOD visually in low light conditions.
As a result, the IAF is seeking innovative approaches to detecting Foreign Object Detriment without physically employing manpower on the aircraft operating surfaces. The competition is open to Indian citizens and Indian-registered entities only. Registration must be submitted by October 2, 2022.
All relevant details regarding this competition have been placed at https:/lndianairforce.nic.in/mehar-baba/#.