Why in News?
The Mehar Baba Competition-3 (MBC-3) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) officially commenced the registration process for this third edition on April 24, 2026.
Core Theme and Goal
- Theme: "Collaborative Drone-Based Surveillance Radars".
- Primary Objective: To develop a Proof of Concept (PoC) for a swarm of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) that act as an airborne radar.
- Capabilities: These drone swarms must be able to detect, track, and report aerial targets in a contested environment (war zones) and send location data to a central station.
Participation & Incentives
- Registration for participants is set to begin on April 27, 2026.
- Eligibility: Open to Indian industries, startups, academic institutions, and research establishments.
- Funding: Meritorious participants will receive development funding from the Indian Air Force.
- Rewards: The top three winners will receive prestigious awards and potential procurement contracts.
History and Legacy
- Named After: Air Commodore Mehar Singh (DSO, MVC), a legendary IAF veteran known for the first landing at Leh and the 1947 mission to Srinagar.
- Past Editions:
- MBC-1 (2018): Focused on Swarm Drones for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.
- MBC-2 (2022): Focused on Swarm Drones for detecting Foreign Object Debris (FOD) on aircraft runways.
- Economic Impact: The first two editions have already generated orders worth nearly ₹2,000 crore for the Indian unmanned systems industry.
Technical Requirements
- Indigenous Content: Drones are typically required to have over 60% indigenous content.
- Performance: Expected high-end requirements include long endurance and the ability to operate at high altitudes, though specific "Vision Documents" for MBC-3 outline the precise aerial radar specifications.
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