A USA based firm Crowe & Company, LLC has entered into a licensing agreement with DRDO to acquire the technology of Explosive Detection Kit developed by the High Energy Material Research Lab (HEMRL), Pune, one of the constituent laboratories of DRDO. An MoU to the effect was signed by Dr. Subhananda Rao, Director HEMRL on behalf of DRDO, and Ms. Faye Crowe, President, Crowe & Company, LLC, USA here today.
HEMRL has developed the kit for quick detection and identification of explosives that can detect and identify explosives based on any combination of nitro esters, nitramines, trinitrotoluene (TNT), dynamite or black powder. The testing requires only 3 to 5 mg of suspected sample and only 3 or 4 drops of reagents. The explosive detection kit comes packed in a box the size of a vanity case and in miniature vials that can be kept in shirt pockets. It contains reagents capable of detecting explosives, even in extremely small, trace quantities.
Crowe & Company had approached FICCI under DRDO-FICCI, ATAC programme to enter into MoU for licensing agreement with DRDO for the said technology. In the past FICCI has also facilitated a similar kind of licensing agreement for explosive detection kit between DRDO an Indian company, named, Vantage Integrated Security Solutions (P) Ltd. The DRDO – FICCI Accelerated Technology Assessment & Commercialisation (ATAC) programme is a unique initiative that aims for commercialisation of cutting edge technologies developed by various labs of DRDO for civilian applications.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. Prahlada, Distinguished Scientist & Chief Controller R&D (Aeronautics & Services Interaction), DRDO, the key architect of DRDO-FICCI ATAC initiative, said “the ATAC programme has achieved a major milestone with the US Company taking DRDO technology for use by US homeland security and for international markets.” Dr Prahlada further said that the present technology can also be helpful to control illegal trafficking of the explosive materials as it can equally detect and identify explosive materials in the pre- and post-blast scenarios.
Mr S. Sundaresh, Distinguished Scientist & Chief Controller R&D (Armaments & Combat Engg.) stated that the technology is very effective and is in use by Indian security forces and would now help the international community also. Speaking on the occasion Dr. Subhananda Rao, Distinguished Scientist & Director HEMRL, Pune informed that through the explosive detection kit, the security forces can instantly identify the explosive that was used for the detonation in the aftermath of a blast. They just have to take a sample of the residues from the scene of the crime and test it against the chemicals given in the kit. The change in colour tells them if the explosive used is RDX, TNT, PETN or any other chemical. Highlighting the features of the technology Mr S. Radhakrishnan, Director, DIITM, DRDO informed that the present technology is being widely used by the bomb detection squads of the Indian Army, paramilitary and police in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Mr Radhakrishnan further informed that the present licensing agreement with M/s Crowe & Company is a major milestone and it also signifies DRDO solution for a global problem.
Ms Faye Crowe, President of Crowe & Company said that after getting the necessary approvals from the US regulatory institutions they are planning to introduce the explosive detection kit to the US army and US homeland security forces and in other international markets.
On the occasion of the signing of MoU, Mr Nirankar Saxena Director, FICCI said that he was delighted to see DRDO technology entering into the international domain for addressing one of the major concerns related to homeland security.
Indian Press Information Bureau
