The DRDO is awaiting clearance for the first flight of its Archer-NG, a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV. Expected to take off next month, the UAV is designed for surveillance and combat. According to Project Director Vivek Kumar Patwey, Archer-NG can carry 300 kg of weapons, operate in all weather conditions, and has a range of 1,000 km. The weaponized version will take another three years to complete.