DRDO Daksh
Remotely operated vehicle for bomb disposal and hazardous object handling.
The Daksh is a battery-powered, remote-controlled wheeled robot designed to locate, handle, and safely destroy hazardous objects. It was created by the Research & Development Establishment (Engineers) alongside Tata Motors, Theta Controls, Bharat Electronics, and Dynalog India. The project took 30 months to complete and was finished by May 2005. Each Daksh unit costs ₹80 lakh, with an additional ₹25 lakh for the carrying vehicle.
Two variants exist: the Daksh Mini, a lightweight version for tight spaces like aircraft, trains, and buses; and the Daksh Scout, a compact robot for rapid reconnaissance and explosive handling. The base model can climb stairs at a 40° incline, navigate steep slopes, narrow corridors, and even tow vehicles. It operates for three continuous hours and can be controlled via fibre optic cable up to 100 meters or wirelessly up to 500 meters line of sight. Its robotic arm can lift suspect objects, reach 2.5 meters (or 4 meters with an extension), and carry up to 20 kilograms. A portable X-ray device scans items, and a water jet disrupter—aimed with a diode laser—can defuse bombs, piercing half-inch plywood from three meters away with 100 milliliters of water. A shotgun can break open locked doors, and the robot can scan cars for explosives. Two cameras (front and rear) provide 22x optical zoom, transmitting real-time images to a master control station. The robot also features a radio frequency shield to jam remote detonation signals and can neutralize NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) weapons. Ninety percent of its components are indigenous.
The Indian Army placed a limited series production order for 20 units. The first batch of five was handed over to General Combat Engineers on 19 December 2011. Technology transfer for production went to Dynalog India, Theta Controls, and Bharat Electronics. The Daksh serves bomb disposal units in the army, police, and paramilitary forces, handling IEDs and other dangerous substances.
Quick Facts
- Cost per unit
- ₹80 lakh
- Carrying vehicle cost
- ₹25 lakh
- Development period
- 30 months
- Completion date
- May 2005
- Remote control range
- 500 m line of sight or within buildings
- Continuous operation time
- 3 hours
- Arm reach
- 2.5 meters (4 meters with extension)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Daksh is a battery-operated remote-controlled robot on wheels created primarily for bomb recovery. It is fully automated and can navigate staircases, negotiate steep slopes, navigate narrow corridors, and tow vehicles to reach hazardous materials. Using its robotized arm, it can lift a suspect object and scan it with a portable X-Ray device. If the object is a bomb, Daksh can defuse it with its water jet disrupter. It also has a shotgun to break open locked doors and can scan cars for explosives. The robot can be controlled via a master control station over a range of 500 m in line of sight or within buildings. Ninety percent of its components are indigenous. The Indian Army placed limited series production orders for 20 Dakshs. The first batch of five units was handed over to General Combat Engineers on 19 December 2011. Technology has been transferred for production to Dynalog India, Theta Controls, and Bharat Electronics.
Reader's Guide
Daksh serves bomb disposal units of the army, police, and paramilitary forces, aiding in handling IEDs and other dangerous substances. It features a motorized pan-tilt platform and can be controlled remotely within a 500-meter range. The ROV has a 40° incline stair climbing capability and can operate continuously for 3 hours. It can carry 20 kg of weight and has a 2.5-meter arm reach, extendable to 4 meters. Communication of photos to the master control is done via X-ray imaging, and the master control supports real-time image transmission and display. A water jet disrupter mounted atop can pierce half-inch thick plywood at a distance of 3 meters when 100 milliliters of water are added. Two front and rear cameras with 22x optical zoom and focus are included. The robot also has a radio frequency shield to jam remote signals for triggering a blast, and can neutralize NBC weapons. It can be used to survey and monitor nuclear and chemical contamination levels. Variants include the Daksh Mini for confined spaces and the Daksh Scout for reconnaissance and explosive handling.
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