DRDO has sent two remote operated vehicles to aid the Uttarakhand rescue operation
Scores of officials on round-the-clock duty to rescue 41 workers trapped in an Uttarakhand tunnel will now be joined by two robots. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has sent two remotely operated vehicles to aid the rescue operation that has dragged on for 11 days owing to very challenging conditions.
The DRDO has sent Daksh Mini and Daksh Scout on the request of rescue teams at the Uttarkashi site, where a landslide last Sunday blocked the exit of the 41 workers. Owing to the topography and nature of the soil, rescue operations in the tunnel have progressed at a tardy pace.
Daksh Mini is a remote vehicle specialised for use in a confined space. It can operate for two hours on a single charge and has a remote range of about 200 metres. The ROV can use its arm - known as the manipulator arm - to lift loads up to 20 kg and can be used for handling Improvised Explosive Devices. Daksh Mini also has high resolution cameras on it to enable the controller to handle it better.
The other ROV on duty is Daksh Scout, a surveillance rover designed for surveillance. It can function on any kind of surface - it can also climb stairs and descend inclined surfaces. The rover has cameras for a 360 degree view, and the controller can see a real-time view of the surroundings. What's more: Daksh Scout can work round the clock and has capabilities as advanced as bomb defusal.
The big plus for these two rovers is their portability. The master control of both can fit into a backpack and carried anywhere.
It is not yet clear how the rescue teams plan to use this rover, but DRDO officials believe they are a perfect fit for the mission.
The 41 workers have been stuck in the under-construction tunnel since November 12. The tunnel, part of the Centre's ambitious Char Dham projects, is located between Silkyara and Dandalgaon in Uttarakhand, on the road proposed to connect Uttarkashi and Yamunotri. Rescuers say they have drilled about halfway through the debris as they try to push through a pipe wide enough for the men to crawl out.