“It is not merely a test flight as we declare that Indonesia is now capable of producing strategic drones with technology developed domestically,” IAe Director for Marketing, Technology, and Development Mohammad Arif Faisal stated in his remarks, received on Wednesday.
The test flight of Elang Hitam, meaning “Black Eagle” in Indonesian and classified as a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone, was conducted at West Java International Airport in Kertajati, Majalengka District, on Monday (July 28).
Arif explained that the drone was developed under a consortium led by IAe with other strategic stakeholders, such as the Defense Ministry, the Indonesian Air Force, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).
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Elang Hitam‘s conceptual design and its prototype were entirely produced by Indonesians. It was created to meet the Indonesian Air Force’s operational requirements and is capable of flying at an altitude of 20 thousand feet above ground for up to 24 hours, he elaborated.
“This proof-of-concept showcases the mastery of automatic flight control systems, long-distance communication, and open-system architecture, which form the principal foundation for the development of future Indonesia-made MALE drones,” Arif noted.
As MALE drones have been the current focus of major military producers in the United States, France, Turkey, and India, Elang Hitam‘s test success means that Indonesia can now compete in this arena.
“The flight test’s success showed that Elang Hitam has become the symbol of Indonesia’s readiness to stand at par with major countries in the mastery of future military drone technology,” the IAe official remarked.
He affirmed that Elang Hitam will continue its test flight and certification process before it can enter mass production and operational service.
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Translator: Ricky Prayoga, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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