Two technologies developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) were unveiled on August 2.
The first technology is JALDOST, an airboat that operates on water. It is designed to remove excess aquatic weed and floating waste from water bodies.
The JALDOST has a closed airtight pontoon type hull to make it inherently unsinkable. According to NAL, it has a hybrid propulsion system, comprising air propulsion and paddle wheel propulsion.
According to NAL, the ability to travel through weed makes JALDOST an ideal platform to collect them and bring them to the shore. A steel mesh belt conveyor system fixed in the front collects the waste. The collected waste falls on the horizontal deck conveyor. After reaching the shore, the collected waste is unloaded by a rear conveyor system to trucks or tractors.
NAL has developed two versions of the airboat — JALDOST Mark-1 and an upgraded version JALDOST Mark-2.
“The JALDOST Mark-2 has been designed on the specifications given by BBMP and can be used to clean lakes in Bengaluru,” said NAL Director Dr. Abhay Anant Pashilkar.
“JALDOST Mark-2 is based on specifications given by BBMP. It is for us to manufacture them based on the demand. We are told that 190 lakes are alive in Bengaluru. S,o there is definitely a great deal of potential. Our private design partner, who has also fabricated JALDOST Mark-2, will be ready to supply them based on the requirements of the BBMP. Now that the product is ready and proven, we are hoping that the BBMP will start placing orders,” Dr. Pashilkar said.
The second technology is Q-plane, a lightweight all-electric UAV with vertical-take-off-and-landing capability. Designed for autonomous flight, the UAV has a range of 30 kilometres and endurance of up to 70 minutes.
