HYDERABAD: To meet future defence technological requirements of the country, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will set up a research cell at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H).
The ‘DRDO - IIT-H Research Cell’ will undertake basic and applied research programmes in technology areas, IIT-H informed in a press release on Monday. The research cell is an extension of the DRDO Research and Innovation Centre (RIC), Chennai, that is envisaged to become a Centre of Excellence in conducting scientific and applied research in advanced technologies for defence.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the research centre was signed by the Director, Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management (DFTM), DRDO, KK Pathak, Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems (MSS), DRDO MSR Prasad and IITH Director Professor BS Murty virtually, last week.
The DRDO-IITH Research Cell will enable tapping knowledge resources in basic science and technology industries that are interdisciplinary in nature and spread across multiple institutions. The research cell will enhance the scientific and technological base of the country in critical defence technology areas and help India become self-reliant in them.
“This MoU is aimed at bringing together the capabilities of DRDO and IIT-H, to achieve greater heights in indigenous technology through collaborative research. This DRDO-IIT-H Research Cell will ensure seamless execution of different projects. IIT-H has a strong research base in advanced technologies, which will be strengthened for the growth of the country through this cell,” said G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO.
“Research is always a prime focus at IITH. It is indeed a proud moment for IITH to get associated with DRDO with the establishment of the DRDO-IIT Hyderabad Research Cell. This cell will support various research areas at IITH that can not only focus on fundamental science but also bring out indigenous technologies and solutions through strong collaboration with scientists of DRDO,” Professor BS Murty said.
The thrust areas of the research cell includes advanced material and processing, sensors for defense applications, hardware and algorithms for artificial intelligence-based applications technologies for space applications, adaptive optics and image processing, quantum technologies, UAV and nanoornithocopter technologies.