Skyhawk Aerospace reveals Pushpak and C35-E UAVs

Skyhawk Aerospace C35-E VTOL UAV displayed at the 4th Drone International Expo 2023. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)

India-based Skyhawk Aerospace showcased its indigenously designed fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) multirole Pushpak and C35-E unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at the 4th Drone International Expo held in Delhi on 26 and 27 July.

The Pushpak is a tactical UAV designed to conduct high-altitude cargo operations. The UAV features a skid landing gear system and can fly up to a maximum altitude of 5,700 m in what company CEO Jayesh A described as “near gale conditions” and at temperatures between -30° C and +55° C.

Speaking to Janes , Jayesh said, “The development of the UAV started in November 2020 primarily to support cargo operations based on the inputs given by [the] Army Design Bureau (ADB).”

The design of the Pushpak includes shoulder-mounted moderately tapered straight wings spanning a length of 6.28 m, a twin-boom-mounted tail that has vertical stabilisers joined by a horizontal stabiliser at the top, and a hook placed beneath the fuselage near the wing section to carry the cargo.

The UAV has twin booms in the inner wing section ending in the tail and each of these is fitted with four electrically powered rotors (two upwards and two downwards), which enable VTOL operations. Forward flight is enabled by a pusher propeller driven by an 80 hp turboshaft engine with a total fuel capacity of 20 litres. The engine is being imported from a European manufacturer with time between overhauls of around 1,000 hours.