An Indian Navy Heron unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed soon after taking off from the naval air base in Porbandar, Gujarat, in the morning hours of March 22, 2018.
There has been no injuries or casualties following the incident, the Indian Navy said on Twitter.
“The UAV crashed in an open ground in Udyognagar area of the town. The drone caught fire after crashing and police called fire fighters. However, there was no injury or damage to property on the ground as the drone crashed in the open ground where nobody was around,” a representative of Porbandar Police Department was cited by The Indian Express as saying.
An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash, the navy added.
The Israel Aerospace Industries-developed Heron UAVs have been in service with the Indian Navy since 2006 when the first UAV squadron was established.
According to Indian Navy specifications, the Heron UAVs have a range of 217 miles, an operational speed of 130 miles per hour and fly at a maximum altitude of 32,800 feet.
The MALE (medium altitude long endurance) UAV has an endurance of 45 hours and a max payload weight of 470 kg, according to IAI.