Drones

Russian drones target civilians, turn Ukrainian city into 'human safari'

When Olena Horlova leaves home or drives through town outside the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, she fears that she's a target. She believes that Russian drones could be waiting on a rooftop, along the road or aiming for her car. To protect herself and her two daughters, the girls stay indoors, and she stays alert sometimes returning home at night along dark roads without headlights so as not to be seen. After living through the occupation, refusing to cooperate with Russian forces and hiding from them, Horlova, like so many other residents, found that even after her town was liberated in 2022, the ordeal didn't end. Kherson was among the first places where Russian forces began using short-range, first-person view, or FPV, drones against civilians. The drones are equipped with livestreaming cameras that let operators see and select their targets in real time. The tactic later spread more than 300 kilometres (185 miles) along the right bank of the Dnipro River, across the ...

ideaForge wins ₹100 cr Indian Army order for advanced tactical drones

City-based drone maker ideaForge Technology Ltd on Friday said it has secured a supply order worth about Rs 100 crore from the Indian Army for its next-generation tactical unmanned vehicle Zolt and all-terrain VTOL drone, SWITCH 2. The capital emergency procurement order for its Zolt is valued around Rs 75 crore, following an extensive and rigorous evaluation process -- extensive field trials in electronic warfare (EW) environments and stringent country of origin checks, while the SWITCH2 order is valued at Rs 30 crore, ideaForge said. The company had launched the two UAVs at the Aero India show in Bengaluru earlier this year. Zolt is a multi-role platform capable of long-range ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) and precision payload delivery, and is purpose-built for present-day defence operations, combining performance, autonomy, and resilience for ISR while SWITCH 2 is already battle tested and inducted into the Army's arsenal for ISR operations, ideaForge ...

Andhra to seek $1 trn investments over a decade, committed to deep tech: CM

State's innovation efforts include plans to launch India's first drone taxis in two years, says Chandrababu Naidu

How Europe's private drone industry eyes opportunity as Nato boosts defence

In a warehouse more than 1,500 kilometres from Ukraine's capital, workers in northern Denmark painstakingly piece together anti-drone devices. Some of the devices will be exported to Kyiv in the hopes of jamming Russian technology on the battlefield, while others will be shipped across Europe in efforts to combat mysterious drone intrusions into NATO's airspace that have the entire continent on edge. Two Danish companies whose business was predominantly defense-related now say they have a surge in new clients seeking to use their technology to protect sites like airports, military installations and critical infrastructure, all of which have been targeted by drone flyovers in recent weeks. Weibel Scientific's radar drone detection technology was deployed ahead of a key EU summit earlier this year to Copenhagen Airport, where unidentified drone sightings closed the airspace for hours in September. Counter-drone firm MyDefence, from its warehouse in northern Denmark, builds handheld, .

S Korea's ousted leader Yoon indicted for flying drones over North Korea

South Korea's ousted conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol faces more criminal charges on Monday as prosecutors allege that he flew drones over North Korea in a deliberate bid to stoke tensions and justify his plans to declare martial law. Yoon set off the most serious political crisis in South Korea's recent history when he imposed martial law on Dec. 3, 2024 and sent troops to surround the National Assembly. He was later impeached and removed from office, and is in jail, standing trial on charges including masterminding a rebellion. His successor and liberal rival, President Lee Jae Myung, approved legislation that launched independent investigations into Yoon's martial law stunt and other criminal allegations involving his wife and administration. On Monday, Yoon and two of his top defence officials were charged with benefitting the enemy and committing abuse of power over their alleged drone flights, which happened about two months before the declaration of martial law, according

Ukrainian drones hit deep inside Russia as battle for Pokrovsk intensifies

Ukrainian long-range drones attacked an industrial plant around 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) inside Russia, local officials said Tuesday, while Ukraine's army remained locked in an intense battle to hold back a Russian push on the key city of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region. Two drones targeted an industrial facility in Sterlitamak, a city in Russia's Bashkortostan region, regional Gov. Radiy Habirov said in an online statement. He didn't specify what facility was targeted, but he said that both drones were shot down. There were no casualties, and the facility was operating normally, he said. Meanwhile, the city administration reported an explosion at the Sterlitamak Petrochemical Plant caused the plant's water treatment facility to partially collapse, adding that the cause of the explosion was not known. The plant, which makes rubber and aviation fuel, is not known to have been attacked before. Ukraine's daring strikes deep inside Russia using domestically produced drones ha

Russia makes more precision drones to attack Ukraine's vital rail network

When Russian drones smashed into the Shostka train station in northeastern Ukraine earlier this month, they killed a 71-year-old man, injured at least eight people and left train cars buckled by fire and riddled with shrapnel holes. It was one of the latest examples of what Ukrainian officials say has been a surge since mid-summer in attacks on railways, a critical artery for commercial and military logistics. They are part of Russia's broader targeting of infrastructure that now is being carried out with greater precision thanks to advances in long-range drone technology that include onboard video feed. In the attack in Shostka, less than 70 km from the Russian border, two explosives-laden drones struck two commuter trains in quick succession. Russia has stepped up railway attacks over the past three months, seeking to sow unrest in Ukrainian regions it borders by depriving people there of rail connections, Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, the CEO of the Ukrainian state railway, told The ..

Pak's ISI-backed drones sent for smuggling sense jamming, scoot back

A Punjab police officer said that after sensing a disruption in the signal between the drone and its base station, the drones are programmed to return to the point where they took off

Anti-drone measures to be top priority in defence against China: Taiwan

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence issued a report saying it is training soldiers to shoot down drones and actively looking to procure new anti-drone weapons systems, which comes in response to Chinese drone incursions. The report released Thursday said Taiwan has developed a strategy to deal with the Chinese drone incursions by identifying and shooting them down as they approach. Taiwan's outlying islands, which are closer to China than the main island of Taiwan, often face Chinese drones. China frequently claims Taiwan as its own, while in practice it is self-ruled. Defence ministry spokesperson Major General Sun Li-fang said Taiwan is continuing efforts to identify and use effective anti-drone systems in response to China. Basically the drone development and anti-drone developments are very fast, and based on today's situation, there's different progress every day, he said. This is one of our key points in our military preparedness efforts. The report also summarises militar

Pakistani drone sighted along IB in J&K; security forces launch search op

Security forces have launched a search operation after a Pakistani drone was sighted hovering over a forward village along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district, officials said on Saturday. The drone-like object was seen coming from the Pakistani side and hovered over Nanga village in the Ramgarh sector late Friday, triggering alarm in the border belt, they said. According to officials, security forces and police teams were immediately deployed to scour the area and ensure that there is no airdropping of any payload like narcotics and weapons from across the border. The search operation was underway when last reports were received, officials said, adding that security has been heightened in adjoining villages as a precautionary measure.

High alert in Bareilly; drones deployed, internet suspended for 48 hrs

Security was beefed up across four districts of Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly division, with police, PAC and RAF personnel out on the streets and drones in the air on Thursday in view of Dussehra, while the government has also ordered suspending internet services in Bareilly for 48 hours, officials said. According to a notification issued by the home department, mobile internet, broadband and SMS services in the district will remain suspended from 3 pm on October 2 till 3 pm on October 4. Home Secretary Gaurav Dayal said in the order that there is a possibility of social media platforms, such as Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp, and messaging services being misused to spread rumours and incite communal tension. The step was taken to maintain peace and public order, he added. On September 26, there was a confrontation between police and about 2,000 people who had gathered outside a mosque in the Kotwali area here after Friday prayers. Stone-pelting was also reported. The unrest was trigge

As battleground tactics shift, startup Unmannd bets on autonomous drones

Company develops AI-powered platforms as recent conflicts expose vulnerabilities of traditional defence systems to drone swarms

Denmark reels from second drone attack in a week disrupting flights

The events follow a four-hour shutdown Monday night at Copenhagen airport, Scandinavia's busiest, which Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described as a "serious attack" on Danish critical infra

NATO warns Russia of full response after drones, jets breach airspace

NATO warned Russia on Tuesday that it would use all means to defend against any further breaches of its airspace after the downing earlier this month of Russian drones over Poland and Estonia's report of an intrusion of Russian fighter jets last week. The September 10 incident in Poland was the first direct encounter between NATO and Moscow since the war in Ukraine began. It jolted leaders across Europe, raising questions about how prepared the alliance is against growing Russian aggression. Estonia said three Russian fighter jets entered its airspace for 12 minutes on Friday without authorisation, a charge that Russia has rejected. Russia should be in no doubt: NATO and Allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions, the alliance said in a statement. We will continue to respond in the manner, timing, and domain of our choosing, the 32-member NATO said, and underli

Copenhagen Airport reopens after drone sightings, some delays expected

Flights at Copenhagen Airport resumed early Tuesday after being suspended or diverted overnight because of drone sightings. Police reported two to three large, unidentified drones were seen Monday night, forcing outgoing flights at Scandinavia's largest airport to be grounded and others diverted to airports nearby. Copenhagen Airport has reopened after being closed due to drone activity. However, there will be delays and some cancelled departures. Passengers are advised to check with their airline for further information, its official website said. Local media show a significant police presence in the vicinity of the airport. A drone incident the same evening at the Oslo, Norway, airport forced all traffic to move to one runway, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Traffic later returned to normal and it's unclear who was responsible. Security concerns in northern Europe are heightened following an increase in Russian sabotage activities and multiple drones and fighter jet ...

Kim Jong Un calls AI-powered drone development top military priority

Kim inspected weapons, surveillance vehicles and multipurpose drones at North Korea's Unmanned Aeronautical Technology Complex

The hottest new defence against drone attacks might be here: Lasers

Scientists have for decades sought to harness directed energy beams into weapon systems that would be cheaper and more efficient than missiles or rockets

Houthi drone strikes Israel's Ramon Airport, causes flight disruptions

A drone fired by the Houthi militants in Yemen breached Israel's multilayered air defences on Sunday and slammed into the country's southern airport, the Israeli military said, briefly shutting down commercial airspace and diverting flights over southern Israel. Israel said Yemen's Houthi rebels attacked with several drones, most of which were intercepted outside of Israel. At least one of the drones slipped through Israel's defence system and crashed into the passenger terminal at the Ramon International Airport near the resort city of Eilat, the Israeli Airports Authority said, blowing out glass windows and sending smoke plumes billowing. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the strike. Israel's Magen David Adom emergency rescue service said it treated a 63-year-old man for light shrapnel wounds. The damage to Ramon Airport appeared limited and within a couple of hours it reopened as normal flights resumed. The attack comes days after Israeli strikes on Yemen's rebel-held capi

PRYMA Aerospace gets DGCA nod for Arjuna drone to aid agriculture

City-based drone manufacturer PRYMA Aerospace has received the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) certification for its Arjuna drone, which will enable the company to deploy the machine for agriculture-related activities. The development comes close on the heels of the aviation safety regulator recently approving the group's Drone School of Excellence as a Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) and making it India's first end-to-end pathway for drone manufacturing, pilot training, and large-scale deployment through Salam Kisan's nationwide platform, PRYM Group's founder and CEO, Dhanashree Mandhani said. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presented the DGCA Certificate to Mandhani, the company stated. Earlier this year, PRYM Group signed a Rs 300 crore MoU with the state government at the World Economic Forum in Davos to accelerate drone adoption and skill development. This certification is more than a regulatory milestone; it is proof that India can .

Drones critical to modern warfare, need to be part of policy: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday stressed the need for incorporating drones into war policy, calling them critical to modern warfare strategy. "Generally, when we hear the word 'aircraft', images of Tejas, Rafale and fighter jets come to mind. This is natural, as these are all combat aircraft. However, in today's changing times, drones have emerged as a significant force in this field. Drones are now being deployed even in areas where large equipment cannot reach," he said. "If you closely observe the Russia-Ukraine conflict, you will notice that drones have been used extensively - ?earlier, now, and continuously. This proves that understanding the importance of drones and incorporating them into our war policy has become absolutely essential," Singh added. He was speaking at the inauguration of Raphe mPhibr Pvt Ltd's defence equipment and engine-testing facility in Noida. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also present at the event. "A strong reflection of