c_blogers: The Gulma is just the beginning of the Nigerian UAV road map and this release is the first with sensors strictly for surveillance. The Gulma is not for Armament.
The Gulma’s role is straight and simple: TAKE A CAMERA UP INTO THE SKY, BE ABLE TO LOCK ON TO A TARGET, TRACK CONTINUOUSLY, AND SEND BACK LIVE IMAGERY. If it can take off, sustain its flight for the designed endurance, operate as far out as the intended range, operate reliably as high up as the design ceiling, fly automatically through way points, and return back and land safely, then it can perform its role of taking the camera payload up high for image analysts to do their job. The Gulma is just like a giant cordless boom taking a camera up high.
The NAF 610 & 611 videos were taken during a low altitude test flights of the Gulma. At the designed loiter altitude, the engine noise is not an issue. At cruise and loiter speeds, the altitude is way to high to easily hear the sound of the engine. The Israeli Aerostar (also in the NAF’s inventory) is way noisier at same altitude for sure. Gas engine powered aircrafts are generally noisy at low altitude, and when running at very high rpm.
The Gulma is the first and in no way is meant to compare with other countries UAVs. It is the start and I am personally happy it starts now and not in the future. Anyone out there who has something and is willing to bring it to the table, should come sit on the table and contribute. Great guys out there, please do contact the NAF and help contribute to this project that will move the nation forward… Lets not complain, downcast or compare… For once, lets have some little faith in ourselves and what we can do

Thank you very much.
Case closed

Congrats to Nigeria.

[quote author=julioralph]
i love drones.,.

aviazuva:

Thank you very much.
Case closed

Congrats to Nigeria.

Mediocrity loves company. Instead of telling ourselves the truth and making progress, we're stubbornly and vehemently celebrating a RC toy. SMH

solomon111: Now i've had enough of this guy.
What is wrong in acknowledging the fact that we've began to focus on indigenous technology?
How many african countries can build drones?
What's Nigeria's defence budget compared to countries like america with the so-called superior drones?
I would also like you to provide proof that the drone was bought.?
As for the R& ,it's obvious you've not heard of the Airforce institute of technology that has made some progress in indigenous manufacturing,design and maintainance of airframes especially through tech transfer which i won't bother highlighting.
I wouldn't want to call you an empty vessel that's largely ignorant of the subject matter, though i'm compelled to.

For a country that's still grappling with the stable supply of electricity to its long-suffering citizens, drones acquisition is the priority? Those African countries you're castigating have regular and stable electricity hence their economy is sustainable and the security challenges are minimal.

Hope you catch the drift?

[quote author=Paul Steve][/quote]

That's our way, cheap and visionless planning. Have you guys heard of DARPA? That's despite the likes of Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Corp., Lockheed Martin and countless defence contractors. SMH!

if you like make a robot that can replace lecturers ( that will be nice)
we nigerians will still insult you cuz we like belittling and discouraging ourselves
and call any new invention an instrument of the devil

if you like make a robot that can replace lecturers ( that will be nice)
we nigerians will still insult you cuz we like belittling and discouraging ourselves
and call any new invention an instrument of the devil
WE HATE TECHNOLOGY!!!

seangy4konji: IS THIS YOUR DRONEARE YOU KIDDING METHIS IS WHAT BADLUCK JONATHAN WORE AGBADA TO COMMISION?YOU MUST BE KIDDING ME!!!NIGERIA IS A JOKE...

Google how much the United state spend on their military, if Nigeria try such spending, we might end up Going bankrupt, so Cut your coat according to your size and let the world power do their thing.

Any questions?

Litmus: I imagine that it would take less than a decade, if we chose to pursue it, to go from this to building our own propeller driven airplane. I do not mean assembled like the Beetle, but entirely indigenous. Some may view such a thing as futile in the face of so much availability of proven aircraft in the market; moreover, that propeller air-crafts are ancient technology and that it would show our backwardness as we struggle to produce one when Nations are moving on with software piloted fourth and fifth generation aeroplanes. But those that may thing like this would be short-sighted. I would argue that propeller aircraft are obviously still contemporary. Sure, those used, for instance, by many armies as trainers are more highly sophisticated turboprops, but we would be on our way if would could start producing Spitfire level of sophistication aircrafts. This is because the world is awash with free blueprints to 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s generation aircrafts that would become suddenly easier understood by us once we have learned and become familiar with the technicalities of aircraft building.

I suppose, I mean a sort of accelerated development informed by the advantage of being witnesses to the evolution of a technical process

you are right...can you blame them for trying bro? with there budget and the NIGERIAN FACTOR trying is what they can do.

mojeer678:

That's our way, cheap and visionless planning. Have you guys heard of DARPA? That's despite the likes of Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and countless defence contractors. SMH!

at least they have to start from somewhere. couldnt you agree? the problem broda is not trying at all.

Locally made UAV Haba naija. In a country that has not manufactured simple calculator, is now making drones.

Really, there is no harm in just buying drones from the market and saying you bought it from the market. Or at best, you assembled 1

The headline should be "Nigeria acquires UAV from ........" its not a big deal.

Truth is most countries just buy, and say they bought. Thats like 90% of developed countries. There are very few countries that actually make this stuffs.

Its just like car technology or plane sef, despite a century of car making and planes, there is still very few countries that actually make them. Despite being common technology. Not to talk of UAV

There is nothing wrong with Nigeria making a UAV though, but this 1 is just propaganda.

mojeer678:

For a country that's still grappling with the stable supply of electricity to its long-suffering citizens, drones acquisition is the priority? Those African countries you're castigating have regular and stable electricity hence their economy is sustainable and the security challenges are minimal.

Hope you catch the drift?

No drift here dude.... So building that kinda craft is what you will term as PRIORITY IN DRONE ACQUISITION eeh? when NiGERIA begins to put effort just like the North Koreans are doing in Nuclear Enrichment and all then thats what you call PRIORITY.

Naija has to start something, and someone has to encourage that....think about if we started these ''acquisition'' in the 70s and 80s and continued till now....what where the folk in aso rock doing in those periods-remember we were still grappling with stable supply of electricity and our dear citizen suffering then till know.

Can we not try at all? now you get these drifts?

Its now that findout that they name it after a hausa word 'gulma' which means gossip

am among dem. we constructed dis UAV live in naf base kd.

gsalvatore: No drift here dude.... So building that kinda craft is what you will term as PRIORITY IN DRONE ACQUISITION eeh? when NiGERIA begins to put effort just like the North Koreans are doing in Nuclear Enrichment and all then thats what you call PRIORITY.

Naija has to start something, and someone has to encourage that....think about if we started these ''acquisition'' in the 70s and 80s and continued till now....what where the folk in aso rock doing in those periods-remember we were still grappling with stable supply of electricity and our dear citizen suffering then till know.

Can we not try at all? now you get these drifts?

Bro i tire for the mojeer678 guy o!
He means all other aspects of life in Nigeria should be put on hold just to focus on providing electricity...lmao. Priority isn't what our power sector needs, just sincerity and people ready to sacrifice their selfish interests!

Kudos to NAF!

mikkyphp:
Bro i tire for the mojeer678 guy o!
He means all other aspects of life in Nigeria should be put on hold just to focus on providing electricity...lmao. Priority isn't what our power sector needs, just sincerity and people ready to sacrifice their selfish interests!

Kudos to NAF!

I just know I have to break it down eventually, no thanks to the battered education system of a country that pays no attention and couldn't care less about the most important platform for any meaningful development.

Now pay close attention, I'll try to make it as simple as possible:

If your leaders had not wasted the opportunities presented when the country was awash with funds following the discovery of crude, like other visionary leaders elsewhere, a stable power generation and distribution would have been guaranteed.

This would have ensured a sustainable economic growth whereby companies and manufacturers would abound, ensuring employment for many, rapid development and cheaper goods and services. The purchasing power of the citizens would be high and crime rate would be low.

It will be hard to get jobless hands for fundamentalism and extreme ideologies that specialize in blood letting, murders and blowing up of things.

There won't therefore be the need to acquire a drone or having wet dreams over a toy; an affront to all right-thinking patriots. If you sincerely believe that a stable power supply isn't a priority of this country at this critical period in history, you'd better crawl back into the hole you emerged from

I noticed the ground vehicle is made in Naija too by innoson motors. .GOD bless Nigeria and no other!

mojeer678:

I just know I have to break it down eventually, no thanks to the battered education system of a country that pays no attention and couldn't care less about the most important platform for any meaningful development.

Now pay close attention, I'll try to make it as simple as possible:

If your leaders had not wasted the opportunities presented when the country was awash with funds following the discovery of crude, like other visionary leaders elsewhere, a stable power generation and distribution would have been guaranteed.

This would have ensured a sustainable economic growth whereby companies and manufacturers would abound, ensuring employment for many, rapid development and cheaper goods and services. The purchasing power of the citizens would be high and crime rate would be low.

It will be hard to get jobless hands for fundamentalism and extreme ideologies that specialize in blood letting, murders and blowing up of things.

There won't therefore be the need to acquire a drone or having wet dreams over a toy; an affront to all right-thinking patriots. If you sincerely believe that a stable power supply isn't a priority of this country at this critical period in history, you'd better crawl back into the hole you emerged from

Without prejudice and descending to your level of name calling and sounding condescending, but how has this post proved to Nairalanders that the present Government is prioritizing the UAV over power? Or was monies appropriated in the budget for this project?
Furthermore, It is a known fact that the Obasanjo Govt gave Power priority and appropriated billions in naira. He even at a time became the Power minister. Yet no improvement.
That is what i mean....priority isnt what is required...but frankness and sacrifice of selfish interests by the stakeholders involved in the power sector. Same goes to all other sectors of the economy...roads, viz infrastructure, agriculture, education et al.
We need to grow evenly...
Read the OP and see why the acquisition of a drone is important ...read what its main use will be...its nothing fancy, but functional stuff - surveillance, disaster relief, mapping etc...
your assertions don't hold water brother patriot.

http://beegeagle./2013/12/18/nigeria-unveil-first-indigenous-unmanned-aerial-vehicle-gulma-designed-and-constructed-by-the-nigerian-air-force/#comments

Oga sunday, please visit the link. There are multiple questions awaiting your informed reply.