UAVs, Drones, Remote Surveillance Tech

[uddu]

https://x.com/VivekSi85847001/status/19 ... 1792296447
@VivekSi85847001
The next big thing in India's Loitering drone development

Sheshnag-150 Loitering drone by New Space during trial. Will be fun to see wave of this low cost drone towards enemies

1000+ Km Range, 5 hrs endurance
25-40 Kg Payload of different Kind.

@joe_sameer
Sir

[Rakesh]

India's next-gen military drones poised for a combat edge
https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-i ... 2025-11-08
08 Nov 2025

[A Sharma]

Indian Army, IAF ask DRDO for 16 laser anti-drone systems with upgraded range to counter Pakistan’s suicide UAVs

[saip]

They are talking of producing MILLIONS of drones per year by Russia and Ukraine. So where are we in that?

Drones have already revolutionized warfare. They’re about to do it again
CNN

[pravula]

They are talking of producing MILLIONS of drones per year by Russia and Ukraine. So where are we in that?

Drones have already revolutionized warfare. They’re about to do it again
CNN

We don't even produce hundreds of infantry rifles per decade. We still import...talk of drones...

[stephen]

They are talking of producing MILLIONS of drones per year by Russia and Ukraine. So where are we in that?

I guess drones, especially the ones that are not MALE or HALE, are evolving a bit too fast, where, one tactic would work for a maximum of a week or for just a few days and then suddenly the other party would know how to jam or make the drones operationally useless. In this fast evolving scenarios I dont know how our defense forces would allocate funds for mass production of a particular type and keep them in storage.
Where we seriously lack drones are for our troops performing CI duties as well as the BSF, and CRPF and other forces deployed in Anti naxal operations.
These troops need all kinds of drones from Kamakazi FPVs to drones mounted with TI and night vision. Our troops in the border need them by the thousands.

[saip]

To make drones jam proof they are using fiber optic cables. But how do you take down drone swarms if they come at you in thousands? Conventional weapons can't do it or would be too expensive. Only directed energy weapons could do it.

[Manish_P]

To make drones jam proof they are using fiber optic cables. But how do you take down drone swarms if they come at you in thousands? Conventional weapons can't do it or would be too expensive. Only directed energy weapons could do it.

Won't directed energy weapons be too costly as compared to traditional AAA ?

Also with current DEW you need to paint the drone for some time to fry it before moving to the next target.

With traditional AAA you can fire air burst rounds with each shells projectile fragment spread covering several feet

[Rakesh]

After Op Sindoor, India goes in for more Heron Mk IIs; Israel frontrunner for mega MALE drones deal
https://theprint.in/defence/after-op-si ... l/2795656/
01 Dec 2025

Order for 87 MALE drones will be split between 2 Indian firms in 64:36 ratio to ensure there are 2 independent manufacturing lines with at least 60% indigenous components.

[Tanaji]

Is Aura and those related projects still in development?

No doubt they have gold plated specs attached to them which will cause them to never see light of the day. In this space, we need to follow the SpaceX philosophy of iterate and fail fast - its unmanned so we can afford to fail.

[Amber G.]

To make drones jam proof they are using fiber optic cables. But how do you take down drone swarms if they come at you in thousands? Conventional weapons can't do it or would be too expensive. Only directed energy weapons could do it.

“Fiber-optic tethered drones” do exist, but they are a very small subset of drones and only work for niche missions (short-range, persistent surveillance, ship-based ISR, etc.). They are not the model for large offensive drone swarms, can’t range far, and are not scalable to "thousands".

For others..

EW and AI-enabled defenses are more scalable and cost-effective than purely kinetic or purely directed-energy systems against very large swarms.

Even “jam-resistant” drones have vulnerabilities:

- GPS/GNSS dependence — spoofing or degrading navigation can break swarm coordination.
-Inter-drone communication — swarms rely on mesh networking; disrupting timing / bandwidth c
-Control links / telemetry — even autonomous drones need updates or supervisory control.
(some discussion in GPS spoofing thread)

(EW has the advantage that one emitter can affect dozens or hundreds of drones at once. This makes it naturally more scalable than shooting things one-by-one)
(AI-enabled sensor fusion will probably do more to make swarms survivable or defeatable)
irected-energy weapons help, but they’re not the silver bullet)

DEW (Enegy) -Lasers and high-power microwaves are low cost per shot, high engagement rate and unlimited magazine (as long as you have power) but they have some limitations.

All works best when combined.. EW and AI.. etc....

This electronic-warfare (EW) + AI + layered-defense approaches have had brilliant success in Operation Sindoor. Low-level air-defense guns, counter-UAS measures, performed “with exceptional synergy,” creating what was described as an “impenetrable wall.”

>>>Operation Sindoor: Indian air defence units thwarted more than 600 Pakistani drones

[Rakesh]

Army places orders worth Rs 5,000 crore for indigenous drones after Op Sindoor trials
https://m.economictimes.com/news/defenc ... 965350.cms
15 Dec 2025

[Rakesh]

Indian Army to buy 850 Kamikaze drones worth Rs 2000 crore
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/ge ... 219202824/
19 Dec 2025

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/nitingokhale/status/20058 ... 26724?s=20 ---> As Taiwan battles China’s aggression in the waters between them, one small part of the news on Monday about India’s MoD sanctioning lease of HALE (high altitude, long endurance) UAVs, among many other decisions on larger purchases, may not have been noticed widely. The Indian Navy, which has been operating two General Atomics produced MQ 9 HALEs for last few years, had proposed to lease two new birds (latest version) as soon as the current lease expires(in early 2027) so as to maintain uninterrupted surveillance cover in the IOR. The earlier lease has been renewed twice over the past few years and the performance of the aircraft has been outstanding from the Navy’s point of view. The HALEs have reportedly played an important role during the recent Op Sindoor last summer. Meanwhile 31 Sea Guardians (MQ 9Bs) contracted in 2024 are likely to start getting inducted in the Indian military only from mid-2028 onwards. The fresh lease is to overcome the gap during 2027-2028. The two fresh birds are reportedly much more advanced than the one's being used currently, with better EW, more effective ELINT pods, anti-icing, capability to fly at higher altitudes and built for longer endurance. A timely decision ensuring continuity.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/sneheshphilip/status/2005 ... 37156?s=20 ---> Indian Navy to get two more Sea Guardians on lease from the US. Contract likely in second half of 2026. In total India will have four on lease. The MQ9s ordered by India will start coming in by 2028.

[Rakesh]

India strengthening shield against drone attacks with joint defence CUAS grid
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/ge ... 106190758/
06 Jan 2026

[Rakesh]

India’s defence sky gets a solar boost: Army orders iDEX solar-electric drone
https://theprint.in/defence/indias-defe ... e/2821749/
08 Jan 2026

Indian Army has inducted loitering munitions, kamikaze and surveillance drones for over Rs 5,000 crore post Operation Sindoor from various domestic firms.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/NewsIADN/status/2009245407445197239?s=20 ---> MoD has awarded a ₹100 crore ($11 Million) contract to Hyderabad-based #Indrajaal for the supply of multi-layered autonomous anti-drone systems.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/2009 ... 24257?s=20 ---> Indian Army placed a Rs 168 crore order for solar-powered MAPSS UAVs with NewSpace Research & Technologies for persistent border surveillance.

[Rakesh]

Army sets sights on indigenous suicide drones that can hit deep into enemy territory
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... s?from=mdr
07 Jan 2026

[Anoop]

https://youtu.be/AJc6Tzl8igosi=d7PZoABOiwDLjf3i

Not military related but the light weight frame and VSTOL features have promise for last mile logistics.

[uddu]

More on the NewSpace MAPSS UAV
How India’s Solar Powered Drone Will Change Border Surveillance Forever
India has taken a major leap in border surveillance and defence technology. The Indian Army has placed a Rs 168 crore order for a fully solar-powered and electric surveillance drone system known as MAPSS (Medium Altitude Persistent Surveillance System). This next-generation UAV is designed to provide long-endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance across India’s most sensitive borders.

In this video, we explain how India’s first solar-powered military surveillance drone works, why it is a game changer for 24x7 border monitoring, and how it reduces dependence on batteries, refuelling and frequent recovery. MAPSS can stay airborne for extended durations, operate quietly with a low thermal signature, and function even in GPS-denied and electronically contested environments.

Watch till the end to understand why solar-powered drones are the future of military surveillance and how India is moving ahead in next-generation unmanned warfare.

[A Sharma]

Bharat Forge Limited Secures Contracts under Emergency Procurement for Indigenous Unmanned Systems

[Manish_P]

No info on numbers

Indian Army Acquires Berkut-BM Drones from Belarus for Long-Range Precision Strike Missions

In a move to significantly bolster its offensive unmanned warfare capabilities, the Indian Army has procured the Berkut-BM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from Belarus.

The acquisition of this high-speed system, associated with the Mirotvorets (Peacemaker) development line, marks a decisive shift in the Army's doctrine toward deep-penetration precision strikes.

Unlike traditional surveillance drones, the Berkut-BM is designed specifically for offensive operations.

Its primary mission profile involves the suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD), the destruction of artillery networks, and the crippling of command-and-control infrastructure during the critical opening phases of high-intensity conflicts.

Military planners view such assets as essential for striking hostile surface-to-air missile (SAM) batteries, multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS), and logistical nodes without exposing manned aircraft or ground troops to unnecessary risk.

Technical Specifications and Performance​

The Berkut-BM distinguishes itself from conventional propeller-driven loitering munitions through its propulsion and speed.

Engine & Speed: Powered by a compact turbojet engine integrated between twin tail booms, the drone can achieve dash speeds of up to 500 kilometres per hour (km/h). This high velocity drastically reduces the reaction time available to enemy air defence systems, complicating interception efforts.

Range & Endurance: The platform offers a practical operational range of 180 kilometres and can remain airborne for approximately 45 minutes, depending on the flight altitude and mission requirements.

Payload: It carries a 10-kilogram high-explosive fragmentation warhead, optimised to inflict severe damage on radar installations, lightly armoured columns, and enemy manpower.

Tactical Flexibility and Origins​

Operationally, the Berkut-BM offers commanders significant flexibility. The system is catapult-launched, eliminating the need for prepared runways or complex airfields.

This capability allows the drone to be deployed from concealed, forward positions or mobile launchers, adding a layer of unpredictability to battlefield manoeuvres.

[Rakesh]

Indian Army ties up with US drone company that made its name in the Ukraine conflict
https://theprint.in/defence/indian-army ... t/2838782/#
28 Jan 2026

Shield AI will provide V-BAT vertical takeoff & landing drones along with licences for software, which will be integrated into aircraft and made available to select Indian partners.

[uddu]

India Unveils 1,000 km Sheshnaag 150 Swarm Drone For Deep Strike Missions
https://www.indiandefensenews.in/2026/0 ... g-150.html

India unveiled the Sheshnaag 150 swarm drone at the World Defence Show (WDS) 2026 in Riyadh, positioning it as a game-changer for deep-strike missions. Developed by NewSpace Research and Technologies, this long-range collaborative loitering munition boasts a claimed range exceeding 1,000 km and a payload capacity of 25 to 40 kg.