UAVs, Drones, Remote Surveillance Tech

[tandav]

Very advanced wing form design by Amateur Drone designers. This type of AI simulations for better design of aircraft is the future. China is probably using far more advanced methods for their own programs

[Rakesh]

SVAYATT-M1: Autonomous Drone Redefining Air Combat

Future air warfare is shifting from standalone fighter jets to integrated networks of manned and unmanned systems, where AI-powered drones handle surveillance, electronic warfare, and strike roles while supporting human pilots. India is advancing in this space with platforms like the SVAYATT-M1 autonomous drone, the stealth-focused Ghatak UCAV for deep-penetration missions, and the Prachand attack helicopter optimized for high-altitude combat. Alongside global developments in loyal wingman technologies, these systems will enhance the Indian Air Force’s reach and reduce pilot risk. However, despite rapid progress in AI, drones, and robotics, technology is expected to act as a force multiplier rather than replace soldiers, as India’s complex security environment, ranging from Himalayan deployments to potential two-front conflicts, still demands a strong human presence supported by advanced military innovation.

[VinodTK]

India mandates 20-point security testing for military drones to root out Chinese hardware

New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has unveiled a comprehensive security vulnerability testing framework for drones procured by Indian armed forces, making it mandatory for vendors to clear a 20-point evaluation before their systems can advance through the defence acquisition pipeline.

The move directly addresses a growing concern in the Indian defence establishment -- drones carrying “Made in India” labels while housing hardware or firmware of Chinese origin, effectively functioning as Trojan horses within the armed forces' inventory.

Last year, an Indian drone operating near the eastern sector of the border with China veered into Chinese-controlled territory.

As per the report, the China’s PLA took control of the UAV, operated it briefly, and then returned it. The drone is believed to be of Israeli origin with an encrypted data link -- yet the PLA still managed to seize control, raising serious questions about existing encryption measures.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has unveiled a comprehensive security vulnerability testing framework for drones procured by Indian armed forces, making it mandatory for vendors to clear a 20-point evaluation before their systems can advance through the defence acquisition pipeline.

The move directly addresses a growing concern in the Indian defence establishment -- drones carrying “Made in India” labels while housing hardware or firmware of Chinese origin, effectively functioning as Trojan horses within the armed forces' inventory.

Last year, an Indian drone operating near the eastern sector of the border with China veered into Chinese-controlled territory.

As per the report, the China’s PLA took control of the UAV, operated it briefly, and then returned it. The drone is believed to be of Israeli origin with an encrypted data link -- yet the PLA still managed to seize control, raising serious questions about existing encryption measures.

The 20-Test Regime

Vendors will have to clear ten hardware validation checks and ten software penetration tests.

Hardware tests cover integrated circuit analysis, tamper resistance, secure boot verification, PCB layer inspection, inter-board communication encryption, and design traceability.

Software tests examine cryptographic key uniqueness, operating system memory protections, trusted execution environment integrity, TLS data transit security, firmware pinning, and anti-rollback verification, among others.

Eight components are designated critical -- the electronic speed controller, flight controller, FC firmware, transmission unit, INS/GPS module, sensors, ground data terminal, and ground control station software.

The framework currently applies to all low, slow, and small (LSS) drone categories -- nano, micro, and small platforms such as quadcopters and hexacopters and is explicitly positioned as a precursor to a broader regime covering MALE and HALE platforms

Testing and Compliance

Testing must be conducted by NABL-accredited or internationally recognised laboratories within India.

The Quality Council of India is currently the only agency capable of running the full test matrix; the Directorate General of Quality Assurance is separately establishing a dedicated facility at Secunderabad.

Vendors who falsify component documentation face immediate suspension or debarment.

The Department of Defence Production will maintain a centralised database of validated vendors, with cleared models exempt from repeat testing unless modifications are made.

The framework acknowledges that domestic chip-level manufacturing remains a long-term goal.

Notably, MeITy's CHIMS software -- previously used to verify hardware bills of materials was discontinued in November 2024, leaving supply chain traceability as an unresolved gap.

[uddu]

Ghatak UCAV with Kaveri Approved

[uddu]

DRDO's Laser Leap: 30kW DEW downs drones, Surya scales to 300kW supremacy
https://www.indiandefensenews.in/2026/0 ... rones.html
30 March 2026

[A Sharma]

Indian Army adds 'hundreds' of suicide drones amid evolving battlefield threats

[Manish_P]

Indian Army adds 'hundreds' of suicide drones amid evolving battlefield threats

Good. But we need them in the tens of thousands.

Scale will help bring costs down. Can help develop multiple vendors across the length and breadth of the country.

Increased competition might also bring in greater emphasis on R&D to stay in the race.

I know this is happening. Have read different reports of different companies getting orders. Just need to speed it up significantly and increase the scope. Get export orders too beating chinese products.

[tandav]

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/14/worl ... ng-hnk-spc

Hopping drones are a novel idea mimicking locust swarms. More efficient traverse by hops assisted with Rotor like helicopter.

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/ShivAroor/status/2044424095111205038?s=20 ---> Good to see the Sheshnaag-150 swarming attack drone tested in Pokhran today. Final seconds captured here. Obviously no warhead, if you're wondering about explosion. Was launched out to a 700 km range (max: 1,000 km). Congratulations, @NS_FutureReady & @joe_sameer!

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/AugadhBhudeva/status/2043 ... 56615?s=20 ---> India’s Private Sector Built This Deadly Drone (SHESHNAAG-150).

The Sheshnaag-150 is a long-range swarming attack drone (loitering munition) developed by NewSpace Research and Technologies (NRT), a Bengaluru-based private sector defence startup. Designed as India’s indigenous answer to low-cost suicide drones like Iran’s Shahed-136, it offers deep-strike capabilities at a fraction of the cost of traditional missiles.

Key Specifications & Features: The drone is designed to operate in sophisticated swarms, overwhelming enemy air defences through numbers and coordinated intelligence.

* Range: Over 1,000 km, allowing for strategic strikes deep inside enemy territory.

* Endurance: Capable of remaining airborne for more than 5 hours to loiter and hunt for high-value targets.

* Payload: Can carry a warhead weighing between 25 kg and 40 kg, sufficient for targeting radar stations, command centres, and armoured vehicles.

* Swarm Intelligence: Multiple units communicate in real-time, using proprietary AI algorithms to coordinate strikes autonomously.

* GPS-Denied Navigation: Features a visual navigation system that allows it to operate even in heavily jammed environments where satellite signals are unavailable.

* Mobile Deployment: Designed for rapid deployment; more than 20 units can be carried by a single truck and launched from mobile platforms or even highways.

The development of the Sheshnaag program gained urgency following Operation Sindoor, where the effectiveness of loitering munitions in modern warfare was highlighted. It represents a shift in India's defence doctrine toward "attritable" warfare using mass-produced, expendable systems to achieve high-impact results while minimizing operational costs. By utilizing a "mother-code" architecture, one drone can act as a command node, guiding an entire fleet through complex mission profiles.

[uddu]

Rajnath Singh, Indian Army and DRDO should be reviving all the Unmanned Ground Vehicle projects urgently and need to get the BMP to be fielded in similar style as drones for ground warfare. Already Ukrainian UGV are turning the tide against the Russians in certain sectors. Our planners are in Comatose mode and don't even think of the advantage that we can have. Chalta hai attitude.

Technology has advanced so much from the times the Muntra tech was unveiled. BMP's can be updated to UGV as new FICV get inducted. Also customized smaller, nimble dedicated UGV for new roles can be build and fielded.
DRDO Muntra UGV - India's First Unmanned Tank | First Unmanned Armored Vehicle Of India - Muntra

[uddu]

https://x.com/UTobyM/status/2038162032391053574
@UTobyM
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