Indian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Developments



Nagpur, Maharashtra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to witness the Nagastra-3 kamikaze drone system developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited. The drone can hit targets at a range of up to 100 kms and has an endurance of over 5 hours. PM Modi will shortly visit Solar Industries to inaugurate the runway facility for Medium Altitude Long Endurance and High-Altitude Long Endurance class of drones at the Solar plant here.

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IIT Kanpur and the Headquarters Central Command of the Indian Army have signed an MoU to collaborate on developing an advanced Remote Piloting Training Module (RPTM) and a Software-in-the-Loop Simulator (SITL) for drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). This collaboration aims to enhance the Indian Army’s training capabilities by integrating advanced simulation technologies, improving efficiency, reducing costs, and minimizing risks.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Lieutenant General Anindya Sengupta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Command, alongside IIT Kanpur faculty members Dr. G.M. Kamath and Dr. Subrahmanyam Saderla. Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director of IIT Kanpur, emphasized that this collaboration showcases the institute’s aerospace expertise and strengthens India’s self-reliance in defense and aerospace innovation.

The project, set to be completed in six months, will be led by the UAV Laboratory at IIT Kanpur in collaboration with VU Dynamics Pvt. Ltd. The development team, including Prof. Saderla and his students Neetesh, Sagar, Kishore, Vamshi, and Abhishek, will create simulations to train operators in real-world drone scenarios, ensuring safety and precision while reducing the need for costly real-time exercises.


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India’s First Jet-Powered MALE by TASL?

India’s Jet-Powered MALE Drone Could Be a Game-Changer – Here’s Why It Matters. A recent chat with an old friend at Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) turned out surprisingly insightful. During our conversation, I learned about a new project: a jet-powered Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) designed and built in India.

Unlike traditional drones, this one is not built from scratch. Instead, engineers at TASL have chosen a smart shortcut — converting a manned aircraft into an unmanned platform. While no official name has been confirmed, all signs point to the Grob G180 SPn business jet being the base aircraft.

Why the Grob G180 SPn is a Clever Choice

The Grob G180 SPn is a German-designed light business jet with great flight performance and a rugged, all-composite airframe. Originally meant for fast executive transport, its features work surprisingly well for MALE drone missions.

Let’s look at what it offers:
  • Altitude: Can fly up to 41,000 feet — ideal for staying above threats and covering wide areas.
  • Speed: Cruises at around 750 km/h — much faster than most MALE drones.
  • Range: Can travel more than 3,400 km — good for strategic missions.
  • Engines: Twin FJ44 turbofans — offer high speed and smooth performance.
  • Payload: Can carry around 1,500 kg — enough for cameras, radars, or electronic warfare (EW) gear.
  • Wingspan: Almost 15 meters — helpful for lift and stable loitering.
Because of these features, the aircraft can serve many roles — from intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) to maritime patrol and battlefield awareness.

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So, What’s the Catch?

The biggest challenge is endurance — or how long it can stay in the air. Let’s compare it with the MQ-9B Reaper, one of the best MALE drones today.

The MQ-9B can fly for over 24 hours straight. It uses a fuel-efficient propeller engine and was built from the start as a drone. In contrast, the Grob-based drone may fly for 7 to 9 hours at best.

This difference is not just numbers — it shows a deeper design gap. The MQ-9B focuses on long loitering, low fuel use, and quiet surveillance. Meanwhile, the Grob was built for speed and comfort, not slow endurance.

Its twin jet engines help it reach places quickly, but they also burn more fuel, especially at lower altitudes. Its airframe has more drag too, which reduces flight time. So, while the Grob drone is fast and versatile, it can’t match the long watchful eyes of the MQ-9B.

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How TASL Is Making It Work

Turning a manned jet into a drone is complex engineering. Many systems must be replaced, updated, or controlled remotely.

1. Autonomous Flight Control
  • The cockpit is now filled with flight computers and power systems.
  • The aircraft uses a Digital Fly-by-Wire (DFBW) system to move control surfaces automatically.
  • Navigation depends on sensors like GPS, inertial units, and radar altimeters.
  • For safety, everything has triple redundancy — so one failure doesn’t crash the plane.
  • A system for Autonomous Take-Off and Landing (ATOL) helps it fly without human help.

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2. Sensor & Communication Systems
The drone likely carries a wide sensor package:
  • EO/IR Cameras: For clear images in day and night.
  • Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR): For imaging through clouds and at night.
  • Maritime Patrol Radar (MPR): To detect ships or sea activity.
  • ELINT Gear: To listen for enemy radars during EW missions.
  • SATCOM and Line-of-Sight links: For long-range communication with ground control.
All systems need thermal cooling and shielding — so they stay reliable in tough conditions.

3. Minimal Changes to the Airframe
One smart move is that TASL kept the airframe almost unchanged. This saves time and money on testing. Only key changes were made:
  • The pilot cockpit now holds electronics and mission computers.
  • Fuel systems may be optimized for longer missions.
  • Weight balance was recalculated to keep the drone stable in all conditions.
How Does It Stay in the Air for So Long?

Jet-powered drones are rare in the MALE category. Most use propellers to save fuel. But the Grob’s jet engines aren’t ordinary — they are high-bypass turbofans, designed for better fuel efficiency.

The drone uses clever physics too:
  • Large wings help create more lift with less drag — this supports long flight.
  • Modern jet engines burn fuel more slowly at high altitudes.
  • It can cruise between 20,000 and 30,000 feet — balancing speed and endurance well.
This makes the drone ideal for fast entry and medium-altitude loitering, perfect for intelligence and rapid strike coordination.

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Final Flight Tests Are Happening Now

According to him, the drone is now in the last phase of flight testing. This includes:
  • Checking emergency systems and command links.
  • Testing autonomy during takeoff and landing.
  • Verifying sensor accuracy and communication range.
  • Validating safety features like failsafe recovery.
Once cleared, TASL may deliver India’s first jet-powered MALE drone — a huge step for indigenous drone programs.

Why It Matters for India

India needs drones for many tasks — from watching borders to monitoring oceans, and even electronic surveillance. This platform could help reduce dependence on foreign drones like the Heron TP or MQ-9B. It could also work alongside programs like DRDO’s TAPAS BH-201, offering faster speed, deep strike ISR, and greater survivability in contested zones.

Overall, TASL’s Grob-based drone might not fly for 40 hours, but it brings speed, smart engineering, and real capability. If it passes trials, it will mark India’s arrival in the high-performance unmanned systems league — and open the door to exports, innovation, and military strength powered by homegrown aviation talent.

India’s First Jet-Powered MALE by TASL ? - alphadefense.in
 
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RTI activist seeks action against 2 IdeaForge partners who pitched drones with Chinese components in army tenders

Rohal Technologies Pvt Ltd and Deftech & GreenIndia Pvt Ltd were disqualified after technical evaluations revealed the use of Chinese parts in IdeaForge’s Q6 V2 UAVs


RTI activist Tej Pratap Singh on Thursday sought action against IdeaForge after two of its partner companies that had participated in the Indian Army’s bids for procurement of overall 80 mini-surveillance drones were disqualified for fielding IdeaForge UAVs consisting of Chinese parts – which, he said, are a threat to national security.

businessline had exposed the use of Chinese components in the indigenously-manufactured UAVs supplied to the armed forces in an exclusive story on August 28, 2024, which had forced the Army to cancel a logistic drone contract.

The Army, later in response to this story, said that they are working on a mechanism to avoid such occurrences in future. It seems, however, that white labelling of drones with Chinese components and selling them as Make in India continues.

In the latest episode, both Rohal Technologies Pvt Ltd and Deftech & GreenIndia Pvt Ltd had pitched IdeaForge’s Q6 V2 D&N UAVs for two separate tenders – GEM/2024/B/5044136 and GEM/2024/B/5044183 – floated by the Government e Marketplace (GeM) in July and August of 2024, respectively, for 40 mini surveillance drones, each. These UAVs could operate during the day as well as night.

IdeaForge, however, did not participate in the bidding process for drones meant for Indian Army’s Northern Command, which guards the borders with China and Pakistan.

## ‘Not a first’

During the technical evaluation of the bids, the GeM disqualified both firms for violating contract provisions by pitching non-Make in India drones.

“Products with items made in China, hence non-complaint” and “equipment made in China was found during TEC in the product”, the GeM had commented in technical evaluations, based on which IdeaForge’s partners were disqualified from both tenders.

The results of the bids were declared in February, 2025.

RTI activist Singh said at a press conference here that he has filed complaints with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Union Commerce Ministry seeking action against IdeaForge, as using Chinese parts in drones poses threat to national security. Singh said he is awaiting a response.

The activist also alleged that these drones were supplied to armed forces in the past, too.

## Firm’s response

Responding to the allegations, IdeaForge said, “It has come to our attention that misleading information has been circulated regarding the disqualification of our partners in a tender. We would like to clarify that the issue was related to non-critical components manufactured by a Swiss OEM, with a country of origin in China.”

The private drone company added, “As these were trials of an opportunity, they may have asked our partners to fix this for the next iteration. We fail to see how this can be construed as a national security concern. The company has a long-standing track record of participating in such tenders and has successfully won multiple tenders in the past, adhering strictly to all compliance norms.”

The activist, however, alleged that IdeaForge drones were hacked earlier by Pakistan and China.

Singh said that despite multiple complaints and court proceedings pending against them, “authorities have not taken strict action to curb the supply of IdeaForge drones in the Indian market..”

On that, the company said, “The Indian Army has already clarified that the issue was a technical glitch and not a cyber breach. Known phenomena such as cross-border jamming should not be misrepresented as hacking incidents.”

We hope this clarification helps dispel any misinformation and brings focus back to the merits and integrity of the ongoing procurement process, IdeaForge observed.
 
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JSR Dynamics Long Range Powered Precision Guided Munition (LRP2GM). JSR was iDEX winner for LRP2GM in 2023.

Description: Light weight cruise missile termed as long range powered precision guided munition (LRP2GM) is 400 kg class ground / ship launched cruise missile fitted with a turbojet engine for sustained thrust. This can be fitted with EO/IR or PHS terminal seekers depending on operational requirements and a jamming resistant global positioning system (GPS).

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