Army Aviation is going big with the UAVs/Drones. In last one year alone there seems to have been a paradigm shift in the way drones are being looked at in India, especially in the Indian Army. Obviously what is happening on the LAC has definitely been the biggest catalyst.

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But even the events in ME e.g. Nagorno-Karabakh conflict seems to have influenced the planners in the Services significantly. On the civil side, the Pandemic has disrupted the thought process on every level and the drones are not left untouched by the impact.

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The seemingly large proliferation of UAVs/Drones in the #AeroIndia2021 is merely the reflection of the reality.

The Armed Forces in India, already started looking into drones seriously since last 5yrs or so. But last one year has accelerated the process in a big way.

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IA especially is looking at a wide range of solutions, mainly tactical, to deal with the emergency at hand. IA is looking at more than 10 requirements as of now. The contract that IdeaForge received recently is but a beginning. This is the lower end of the drone technology

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while what we see in the #AeroIndia2021 from HAL, NewSpace Research, ADE are the high end of the spectrum. Of course the real proliferation will start from the lower end as the cost and scope is more manageable, the requirement is high, both in Mil and Civil domain, and

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there is enough space for a lot of players. There are plenty of players which already have enough capabilities to offer quick solutions immediately.

We have a good insight into IA's thought process frm a talk by a Brig from the Army Design Bureau, in #AeroIndia2021 seminar.

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There is a conscious shift of focus from ISR, logistics type applications using MALE/HALE and supply drones, to a mote tactical level applications and smaller varied types of drones, swarms, loitering munitions, anti-drone technologies and so on.

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One area of immediate interest in ISR and logistic supply missions in high altitude areas. In this instance, for a Surveillance drone with capability to TO at 4500m from 25mx25m area, fly autonomously on a predefined path for 15km, be able to transmit data back live,

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if jammed, come back home, else finish the mission and return to starting position, all this of course in harsh conditions of low temperatures and high winds - IA gave requirements in Aug, some 20 companies gave proposals, 12 were shortlisted, 4 made it to final and IdeaForge
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emerged as the winner as they beat everyone else in fulfilling the user requirements. They were awarded 140Cr order.

The requirement of the Logistical supply drone with capabilities - Same high alti, cold, high wind conditions, TO from 4500m, deliver 20kg payload over a

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range of 10km autonomously to a 4mx4m landing area at 6000m altitude - remains unfulfilled till date with no company in the world able to make such a drone so far. Its WIP still.

ADB itself has designed nano-drones which can search buildings for say hiding terrorists,

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and following drones to explode bombs to eliminate the tgts. The drones can travel upto 100m without line of sight avoid obstacles, transmit live video feed and so on.

To counter drones coming across the border there is an inhouse development of counter-drone tech with

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range of 3km, extendable to 7km, with jamming, spoofing, soft kill capabilities. A second handheld system uses a hand held radar to jam and force land enemy drone, within few hundred mtrs.

IA already has a few MALE in service, but more are required. The IAF is leading this

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requirement. I think Rustom2 is being designed against this particular requirement and the total nos required are about a 100, IIRC.

The Indian Navy is leading the HALE related requirement while IA would play a second fiddle. Given the jointmanship that is being promoted

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by office of CDS, perhaps the IAF and the IN would acquire the drones and depute some of them to cater for the Army's requirements under various theatre commands rather than each Service buying small portion of HALE and MALE (my guess).

Currently the MALE in service

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are restricted to about 250km range, which the Army is looking to upgrade to 1000km using SATCOM capabilities. There are also attempts to lease a handful of RPA (remotely piloted) drones on emergency basis (e.g. IN's lease for 2 Predator drones).

The IA is also has issued

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global RFI for 15-20 runway independent RPAs with 200km range (Nishant is an example of such a system). Though the IA insists Desi companies will be preferred if they could fulfil the SQR.

LM (Loiter Munitions) are also one of the priorities for the IA. I think we already

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have a handful of Israeli LM. There are desi programs running in this field as well. The recent Swarm demonstration in the Army Day parade is one example. A LM needs to have the capability of significant endurance, target identification capabilities and then attack the tgts

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either in kamikaze mode or using sub-drones or conventional munition.

Another requirement is for a Medium Range (40-60km) Precision Kill. EOI is underway for this.

A program for Mini surveillance RPAs with 10km range is also under considerations with desi companies.

The IA is also buying micro-drone Black Hornet which is a 14g drone with 1km range. There is a lot of interest in micro and nano drones as there are a wide range of applications for them. Some R7D efforts are put in for the nano drones.

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Logistic supply drones is a big area for the IA. For example, drones could replace manned Heli flights from base camp to the Siachen glacier, significantly cutting down on the risk factor for the pilots as well as opex. There is a R&D program with DRDO for logistic drones

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(likely for the unfulfilled req stated earlier) and three Pvt companies. Each of which have their own approach, IC engine, Electric power and hybrid. The first one is ready for demonstration at the high altitude soon.

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There is an interesting inhouse drone program within ADB itself, a drone with explosive detection equipment is being design which would be able to find and mark mines ahead of the moving troops and armor so they can be removed physically later.

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Apart from these the ADB is also looking at futuristic concepts such as a solar powered ultra long endurance HALE mothership which can loiter for months at a time at very high altitude carrying smaller deployable drones for ISR (well the concept itself is not new).

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In addition the IA is obviously also interested in the counter-drone technology. They are working closely with pvt industry in order to create spoofing and jamming systems of various ranges. I think the Pvt industry, especially the startups would mostly be focusing on

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soft kill systems while DRDO or larger OEMs would have to pitch in for hardkill systems.

This pretty much covers the entire spectrum of technologies around the flying drones. Of course there are land based drones as well which would be a field in itself and IA is probably

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equally proactive in that field. But given this forum was related to flying drones, that was perhaps out of context and hence not discussed.

We are by an large playing catch up. But given the potential in our pvt companies, the push from the govt on #AtmaNirbharBharat

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and the feeling of urgency in the Services given the tense situation on the border, I see an accelerated growth in this field in coming few years. We should see an hitherto unimaginable proliferation of D&D programs in the field of drones in our Pvt industry.

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