With DRDO's Rustom-II MALE UAV still to take to the air, work is currently gathering pace to provide the platform with greater low-observability features. "The main function of the landing gear is safe take-off and landing of UAV under various environmental and operational scenarios with the support of external pilot. A tricycle type retractable landing gear system with a steerable nose wheel consists of major subsystems viz., Hydrogas Shock Absorber Strut, Hydraulic Actuation System with Sensors, Wheel & Brake and Nose Wheel Steering System and Mechanical Linkages. Interested development partners need to have expertise and wide experience in the area of high precision manufacturing of systems and components for aerospace application and operate full fledged manufacturing facilities from medium precision to high precision to cater for manufacture of landing gear systems and components. In addition to this, firm must have experience to carry out assembly and limited testing. The DRDO has faced several delays in putting the more capable Rustom-II into the air despite assurances to the IAF and Army that demonstrations would take place in 2015. In all likelihood, the first flight of the Rustom-II will take place in mid 2016 from an airstrip near Bengaluru.