Aludra MK1

The Aludra MK1 is a tactical unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Composite Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM), first flown in 2007 as Malaysia's first indigenously produced military UAV.

Overview

The Aludra programme began in January 2007, when the Malaysian government formed a consortium involving CTRM, Unmanned Systems Technology (UST) and Ikramatic to develop a locally made UAV to reduce reliance on imported reconnaissance drones. The resulting Aludra Mk1 became the first production variant of the family, with around 15 airframes built.

The Mk1 entered Malaysian Armed Forces service around 2010 and was used operationally in 2013 during Ops Daulat, monitoring militant movements linked to the Lahad Datu standoff in Sabah, after which it was stationed there for continued border-surveillance duty. CTRM subsequently developed improved Aludra variants — Mk2, Mk5 and later prototypes — and Malaysia's operational Aludra fleet has since shifted toward these newer versions, flown by the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency.

Design and capabilities

The Aludra MK1 is a fixed-wing tactical UAV with a length of about 4.5 m, a 6 m wingspan and a maximum take-off weight of 200 kg, of which up to 25 kg can be payload. The manufacturer's original specification sheet quoted an endurance of about 3 hours, an operational range of roughly 100 km, a top speed near 220 km/h and a service ceiling of about 3,657 m (12,000 ft), figures typical of a mini/tactical-class ISR UAV of its generation.

Operational history

The Aludra Mk1 was operated by the Malaysian Army and the Royal Malaysian Air Force. Its most fully documented deployment was the 2013 Ops Daulat border-security operation in Sabah, following the Lahad Datu incursion. It is credited as the type that established Malaysia's indigenous UAV manufacturing and operating experience, which CTRM built on with later Aludra variants.

Variants

CTRM followed the Mk1 with the smaller Aludra SR-10 light-surveillance UAV, an improved Mk2 with better engine, payload and endurance, the Mk5 unveiled at LIMA 2015 and now flown by the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency, and later prototypes including Aludra Camar and Aludra EE.

Frequently asked questions

Who built the Aludra MK1?

It was built by Composite Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM) as part of a Malaysian government-backed UAV consortium.

When did the Aludra MK1 first fly?

It first flew in 2007 and entered service with the Malaysian Armed Forces around 2010.

Has the Aludra MK1 been used in combat or operations?

Yes — it flew border-surveillance and reconnaissance missions during the 2013 Ops Daulat operation in Sabah.

Is the Aludra MK1 still in service?

Malaysia's operational Aludra fleet has largely shifted to the newer Mk5 variant, flown by the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency.