Charter of duties
Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management will comprise establishment of research centres at academia for development of crucial technologies / technology gaps. Details of the activities are as under:
- Act as 'Think Tank' and render advice to top functionaries of DRDO in Forecasting of futuristic weapon systems and technologies that are likely to have high impact in the short & mid-term defence and security affairs.
- Evolve the System Analysis Policy and ensure its implementation in DRDO.
- Analysis of Services requirements for systems to be imported/ acquired/ integrated and arrive at acceptable final QRs.
- Identify crucial technologies/ technology gaps with maturity level of less than 4.
- Work out broad specifications for the work packages related to identified technologies/ technology gaps for the purpose of focused and directed R&D.
- Enter into contract with identified agencies/ consortium's and coordinate with them for achieving the desired objectives.
- Identify and establish national level facilities.
- Coordinate with other scientific organisations for resources at national level.
Area of Research for Centres
DRDO is in the process to explore newer technology areas, create new knowledge and capabilities for developing technologies through directed research, that are either currently not mature enough for engineering development or where critical data / knowledge is denied to India. Acceptance of Necessity (AON) has been sought from Raksha Mantri for following broad areas of directed research, identified based on the futuristic need of defence through establishment of Advanced Technology Centres:
- Aerodynamics Research for Futuristic vehicles
- Robotics and Unmanned technologies
- High Power Directed Energy Technologies
- Cyber Security
- Next generation Propulsion Technologies
- Advanced Computing and Computational Techniques
- Advanced Materials and
- Underwater Technologies
In these identified technology areas , targeted research is aimed towards creating an intellectual capital to realize the cutting edge technologies. Therefore DRDO proposes to initiate Directed Research in the identified areas, through Advanced Technology Centres (ATCs) in University Campus, with defined research verticals by bringing academic knowledge and expertise in the country and the defence laboratory knowledge of applications on common platforms.