Indigenous Airborne Locust Control System on Mi-17 Helicopter

Anticipating Locust attack, Ministry of Agriculture signed a contract with M/s Micron, UK to modify two Mi-17 Helicopters for spraying atomized pesticide to arrest Locust breeding in May 2020.

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Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the UK based firm would be able to manufacture and supply the modification kit to IAF only from Sep 2020 onward for system integration and testing. 

In the meanwhile, an unprecedented Locust attack started manifesting from last week of May and was fast spreading practically across many States. 

A team of Test Pilots and Test Engineers of Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment, Bangalore have successfully carried out ground and airborne trials of ALCS on a modified Mi-17 helicopter. 

The system is being offered for use with Malathion for employment in the locust control operation.

Being an indigenously developed system, the ALCS would offer inherent advantages of in-house maintenance, future upgradeability, saving of foreign exchange and help in making the country Self Reliant in aviation related technology.  

Locust attack in India

Swarms of locusts have invaded vast swathes of land in India since April 11th this year.

They entered several districts of Rajasthan via Pakistan’s Sindh province.

Few days later, they entered the neighbouring State of Madhya Pradesh.

Many districts in Uttar Pradesh have now been put on alert.

This locust attack has affected about 90,000 hectares across 20 districts in Rajasthan.

Favourable rain-bearing winds aided their transport towards India.

This quickly growing swarm is now threatening to amplify into an agrarian disaster.