US-Made MQ-9B Predator Drone Crashes in India

On September 18, 2024, an MQ-9B Sea Guardian drone leased by the Indian Navy from the United States encountered a technical failure and was forced to ditch into the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Chennai.

Operating from the naval air station INS Rajali in Arakkonam, the drone was on a routine surveillance mission when it experienced significant technical issues around 1400 hours.

According to defense sources, the drone suffered failures in its power generators and batteries during flight, prompting the crew to make a decision to safely and deliberately ditch the aircraft into the sea to prevent potential damage on land. The Indian Navy confirmed that, unfortunately, the drone was lost to the ocean, and officials stated that it would not be recoverable.

Under the terms of the lease agreement with General Atomics, the manufacturer is required to replace the crashed drone to fulfill its operational obligations. The contract, signed in 2020, mandates a specific number of flight hours per month, emphasizing the importance of maintaining operational readiness.

Since one drone alone cannot meet the mission requirements, the Navy expects a replacement to arrive soon. The MQ-9B Sea Guardian is an impressive piece of technology, weighing over 4 tons (approximately 4,000 kg), with a wingspan of 24 meters and a length of 11.7 meters.

Capable of flying at altitudes of 40,000 feet, the drone is designed for high-altitude, long-endurance missions. As part of the leasing arrangement, the drones are operated by vendor pilots, with the Indian Navy paying solely for the services rendered.

In light of the incident, the Navy has requested a comprehensive accident report from General Atomics to ascertain further details about the technical failure that led to the drone’s crash.