Page 4 - Drones

Stock market reaction amid India-Pak tensions: Defence, drone stocks rally; aviation sinks

Sensex plunged over 900 points, Nifty dips below 24,000 in early trade amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions.

Watch: Indian Army destroys Pakistani Army outpost

Watch: Indian Army destroys Pakistani Army outpost

Flying of drones, UAVs banned in Leh district amid India-Pak tensions

Authorities in the Union Territory of Ladakh on Thursday prohibited flying of drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Leh district, citing credible inputs and security concerns about their potential misuse by anti-national elements. District Magistrate of Leh, Santosh Sukhadeve, ordered the prohibition on flying of drones and UAVs by locals, tourists, or private persons and said any violation of the order shall attract strict legal action under relevant laws. "This order is issued ex-parte in the interest of public safety and security and shall remain in force until further notice," he said. The order was issued a day after Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In view of the likelihood of threats to public safety, security installations, and the general public, the order said the Superintendent of Police, Leh has requested for issuing orders prohibiting flying of drones and UAVs by the gener

Drones can provide secure coverage compared to satellites: COAI DG

High altitude platforms like solar power drones, balloons, airships, etc, can provide secure and flexible coverage at lower cost compared to satellites, a senior official of telecom industry body COAI said. Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Director General S P Kochhar said countries like the US, Japan, the UK, and companies like Airbus (Zephyr) and SoftBank are investing heavily in HAPS technologies and India should start working on regulatory framework for HAPS operations, spectrum allocation and airspace management. Kochhar's remarks come at a time when COAI key members Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio have joined hands with Elon Musk-led Starlink for satellite services after initially opposing and obstructing its bid to enter the India market. Starlink is yet to get government's approval to start services in India pending security clearance. "The main purpose of HAPS is similar to satellites, but with the advantage of being able to be deployed rapidly and at a lower

Russian drone strikes in Kharkiv injure 47, Zelenskyy seeks support

A Russian drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, wounded 47 people, officials said, and prompted another appeal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for more decisive support from the country's allies. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said drones hit 12 locations across the city late Friday. Residential buildings, civilian infrastructure and vehicles were damaged in the assault, according to Kharkiv regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov. The Kharkiv Prosecutor's Office said Saturday that Russian forces used drones with thermobaric warheads. In a statement on Telegram, it said thermobaric weapons create a powerful blast wave and a hot cloud of smoke, causing large-scale destruction. The prosecutor said its use may indicate a deliberate violation of international humanitarian law. While the world hesitates with decisions, nearly every night in Ukraine turns into a nightmare, costing lives. Ukraine needs strengthened air defence. Strong and real decisions are needed from ou

Russia launches nearly 150 drones in major overnight assault on Ukraine

Russia launched a sweeping drone assault across Ukraine overnight into Sunday, targeting multiple regions, officials said, after US President Donald Trump cast doubt over Russian President Vladimir Putin's willingness to end the war. One person was killed and a 14-year-old girl wounded in the city of Pavlohrad in the Dnipropetrovsk region, which was hit for the third consecutive night, regional Governor Serhii Lysak said. The attacks came hours after Russia claimed to have regained control over the remaining parts of the Kursk region, which Ukrainian forces seized in a surprise incursion last August. Ukrainian officials said the fighting in Kursk was still ongoing. Trump said Saturday that he doubts Putin wants to end the more than three-year war in Ukraine, expressing new skepticism that a peace deal can be reached soon. Only a day earlier, Trump had said Ukraine and Russia were "very close to a deal." "There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cit

Vayudh raises $10 million in funding round led by Dharana Capital

The funds will be used to deepen the company's research and development (R&D) capabilities, expand manufacturing infrastructure, and accelerate deployments with India's defence forces

Drones pose increasing risk to commercial airliners near major US airports

A commercial airliner was on final approach to San Francisco's international airport in November when the crew spotted a drone outside the cockpit window. By then it was too late to take evasive action, the pilots reported, and the quadcopter passed by their windshield, not 300 feet away. A month earlier, a jetliner was flying at an altitude of 4,000 feet near Miami's international airport when its pilots reported a close encounter with a drone. In August, a drone came within 50 feet of clipping the left wing of a passenger jet as it departed Newark International Airport. The incidents were all classified as near midair collisions any one of which could have had catastrophic consequences, according to aviation safety experts. They were also not isolated encounters. An Associated Press analysis of an aviation safety database reveals that drones last year accounted for nearly two-thirds of reported near midair collisions involving commercial passenger planes taking off and landing at

Drone-based package delivery set to take off across Delhi-NCR soon

Skye Air has set a target to deliver 5 million packages via drones this CY. The company said it delivered 1.2 million packages in CY24

Army refutes Chinese drone hijack claim, warns against misinformation

Following uproar over reports of a Chinese drone hijack, the Army dismissed the claims as baseless and factually incorrect, urging media and users to avoid unverified content online

GST Council meet: Uniform 5% rate on drones for business use on agenda

This could be a major relief to India's burgeoning drone industry, which consists of around 488 drone companies that have collectively secured $518 million in funding so far

Mount Everest's new Sherpas? Drones will now do the heavy lifting

For the first time, drones will be used on Mount Everest to carry gear and clean up, helping Sherpas and improving safety

Russia, Ukraine trade heavy aerial blows amid proposed ceasefire talks

Russia and Ukraine traded heavy aerial blows overnight Saturday, with both sides reporting more than 100 enemy drones over their respective territories. The attack comes less than 24 hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with US envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss details of the American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Ukraine. Volgograd regional Gov Andrei Bocharov confirmed that falling drone debris had sparked a fire in the Krasnoarmeysky district of the city close to a Lukoil oil refinery, but provided no further details. Nearby airports temporarily halted flights, local media outlets reported. No casualties were reported. The Volgograd refinery has been targeted by Kyiv's forces on several occasions since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, most recently in a drone attack on February 15. Russia's Defence Ministry said that it had shot down 126 Ukrainian drones, 64 of which were destroyed over the Volgograd region

Punjab to deploy anti-drone tech to check drug inflow from across border

The Punjab government will take the help of anti-drone technology to check smuggling of narcotics and arms and ammunition from across the border, Cabinet minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Tuesday. Finance Minister Cheema, who is leading a cabinet sub-committee to monitor action against the drug menace and Cabinet minister Aman Arora on Tuesday witnessed the demonstration of the anti-drone technology by three companies in Mohali. Speaking to reporters, Arora said drugs, arms and ammunition are coming from Pakistan as he stressed upon the use of anti-drone technology to check the inflow from across the border. "It is the primary responsibility of the government of India and the BSF to check smuggling of narcotics and arms and ammunition from across the border," Arora said, adding the Border Security Force (BSF) has 50 km of jurisdiction. "But we have been seeing over the past many years that the BSF is not getting 100 per success (in checking smuggling from across the border)," he

Russia destroys 83 Ukrainian drones over southern Krasnodar region

The ministry does not report potential damage or the full scope of the Ukrainian attacks

MP announces drone policy, incentives to become manufacturing hub

Capital subsidy of up to 40 per cent (maximum Rs 30 crore) will be provided to entrepreneurs setting up drone-manufacturing units in the state

Musk warns AI and drones will dominate future wars. Here's why it matters

Musk also emphasised the need for the US to accelerate domestic drone production, warning that countries often prepare for past wars rather than future ones

Madhya Pradesh looks to become drone manufacturing hub with new policy

The Madhya Pradesh government has formulated a new drone policy to foster manufacturing of drones in the state as well as encourage their use across sectors like agriculture, logistics, security and governance. The state cabinet in its meeting on Tuesday approved the Madhya Pradesh Drone Promotion and Utilisation Policy 2025, officials said. The policy focuses on promoting drone manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance. It offers incentives such as subsidies and tax incentives to manufacturers, aiming to make Madhya Pradesh a hub for drone production and services. It provides for a 40 per cent capital investment subsidy with a cap of Rs 30 crore for new investments. Also, a 25 per cent subsidy on lease rent, with a maximum of Rs 5 lakh per year, is provided for three years. A Rs 2 crore R&D grant is provided in identified sectors. To promote skill development in key sectors, Chief Minister's Seekho-Kamao Yojana (MMSKY) offers an incentive of Rs 8,000 per month for up to six ...

Drone battery tech co Dreamfly Innovations raises $1.4 mn in seed funding

In a seed round, a startup raises funds to establish its business. The firm plans to use this fund to scale production capabilities, team expansion and research and development

Garuda Aerospace to deploy drones along Chennai coast to protect turtles

Drone manufacturer Garuda Aerospace would deploy its drones free of cost over the next three months, to take up surveillance along the city's coastline, to protect the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles, the company said. The initiative comes in the backdrop of over 300 such turtles were found dead in recent times in Chennai coastal region. The plan aims to support the conservation efforts by combating illegal fishing practices. In a statement on Sunday, Garuda Aerospace said it was partnering with the Tree Foundation and the department of Forest and fisheries for this operation. "We are deeply concerned by the recent mass deaths of Olive Ridley turtles. The plight of the turtles demand immediate action and long-term solutions. By deploying our drones free of charge for the next three months, we are directly intervening to protect the nesting sites, deter illegal fishing and give these hatchlings a chance at survival," said Garuda Aerospace CEO Agnishwar Jayaprakash. "We believe t