Page 4 - Drones

Self-reliance in UAVs, C-UAS strategic imperative for India: CDS Chauhan

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said recent conflicts globally have demonstrated how drones can "shift tactical balance disproportionately", and asserted that self-reliance in UAVs and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) is a "strategic imperative" for India. In his address at an event held at Manekshaw Centre here, Gen Chauhan also said Operation Sindoor has shown why indigenously developed Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and C-UAS "built for our terrain and our needs are crucial". A day-long workshop on 'Indigenisation of Critical Components Currently Being Imported from Foreign OEMs in the Areas of UAV & C-UAS' is being hosted by Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff (HQ-IDS), in collaboration with the think-tank Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. The event comes against the backdrop of recent India-Pakistan hostilities, including Operation Sindoor, which highlighted the strategic importance and operational effectiveness of UAVs and C-UAS, the Defence

'AFMS looking at drone use to supply blood bags, medicines in hilly areas'

The Armed Forces Medical Services is exploring the use of drone technology to deliver blood bags, medicines and other medical supplies in hilly and hard-to-reach areas, Director General of AFMS, Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, has said. She also said the AFMS was responsible for the health requirements of all four astronauts currently part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station. Vice Admiral Sarin was speaking on Saturday on the sidelines of a commissioning ceremony for five medical cadets at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune. She said the AFMS is integrating modern technologies like telemedicine, Artificial Intelligence (AI), point-of-care devices, and drones to strengthen healthcare delivery. We are looking at using drone technology for the supply of blood bags, medicines, and other medical equipment. In fact, we are hoping for a day when even medical evacuations can be carried out using drones, she said. The technology is currently being consid

Russia fires drones, missiles at Ukraine overnight; Lutsk hit hardest

Russia fired a record 728 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine overnight, as well as 13 missiles, the Ukrainian air force said Wednesday, in the latest escalation amid mounting Russian aerial and ground attacks in the more than three-year war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the city of Lutsk, which lies in Ukraine's northwest along the border with Poland and Belarus, was the hardest hit, though 10 other regions were also struck. Lutsk is home to airfields used by the Ukrainian army. Cargo planes and fighter jets routinely fly over the city. No casualties were immediately reported, as emergency crews continued to assess the damage. Russia has recently sought to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences by launching massive aerial assaults, including adding more decoy drones to its attacks. Russia launched its previous largest aerial assault late in the night of July 4 into the following day, with the biggest prior to that occurring less than a week earlier. Russia's bigger army h

India planning ₹2,000 crore drone incentive after Pakistan conflict

India's push to build more home-grown drones stems from the four-day clash with Pakistan in May that marked the first time New Delhi and Islamabad utilized UAVs at scale against each other

AVPL International announces $1 mn R&D investment for defence drones

Drone manufacturing and training firm AVPL International on Friday announced an investment of USD 1 million (about Rs 8.5 crore) towards research and development of defence drones. in April 2025, the company committed USD 12 million to drone training and manufacturing. The new investment aims to accelerate the indigenous development of advanced unmanned aerial systems (UAS) tailored for India's defence, homeland security, and dual-purpose applications, according to a company statement. "The investment focuses on addressing critical gaps in India's drone ecosystem, such as reducing dependence on imported components, developing intelligent drones with advanced swarm autonomy, and creating indigenous counter-UAS capabilities to protect critical assets. "AVPL's efforts also include high-altitude platforms capable of sustained flight in extreme terrains, with specific attention to the Himalayan region," it said. The investment will also contribute towards enhancing AVPL's manufacturing

Drones can safely deliver blood in tough terrains, finds ICMR study

The integrity of blood components and parameters do not get compromised, and blood can be transported safely by drones, particularly in far-flung areas and difficult terrains, an ICMR study has found. The feasibility study to evaluate the efficiency and sustainability of drone-based delivery of blood saw the drone travel around 36 km in eight minutes, while a van took around 55 minutes to cover the same distance. The study titled "Adopting drone technology for blood delivery: a feasibility study to evaluate its efficiency and sustainability" tried to determine how drone delivery impacts the quality and stability of blood components after transport, compared to traditional delivery methods. The study published in the Springer Nature journal said that in the future, drones could be an option to deliver other important and time-sensitive medical supplies, such as emergency drugs or pharmaceutical products as well. Blood and blood component transfusions may be lifesaving for patients i

Raphe mPhibr raises $100 million in landmark defence drone funding round

The defence tech firm plans to ramp up domestic drone production after securing the sector's largest private funding round; its drones were recently used in Operation Sindoor

Russian long-range drones haunt Ukraine's nights with deadly strikes

How Russia's terrifying long-range drone program has brought about a deadly new phase in the war

Drone dominance: Who really rules the skies in 2025?

Drones are redefining modern warfare, delivery systems, agriculture—and global power. But which countries are leading the UAV revolution in 2025?

Garuda Aerospace opens agri-drone indigenisation unit near Chennai

Drone manufacturer Garuda Aerospace has established an Agri-Drone Indigenisation facility near the city to design and manufacture advanced Unmanned Aerial Systems among many others, a top official said on Friday. The facility, a first-of-its-kind initiative, augments Garuda Aerospace's existing manufacturing unit located near Chennai and a major leap in advancing drone manufacturing. The products that would be produced at the facility include 7 subsystems (of Unmanned Aerial Systems), 33 parts among others. The production would be covered under the Centre's ambitious 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' campaign. Spread across 35,000 sq ft at Thalambur, near the city, the state-of-the-art facility was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan on Thursday. Garuda Aerospace also launched 300 Centres of Excellence, established in association with various educational institutions and industry partners across the country. It would advance drone innovation, research and

Maharashtra govt to curb illegal sand mining through drone-based surveys

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said drones will be deployed to survey minor mineral mining zones in the state as part of the government's efforts to curb illegal sand mining and quarrying. He said the government aims to complete a comprehensive measurement of all mining zones in the state over the next three months. To curb illegal excavation of sand and minor minerals, we have decided to carry out drone-based surveys of mining areas, Bawankule said on Thursday. The minister said that the data collected through the drone surveys will be submitted to the district collectors and uploaded to the Mahakhanij' portal, an integrated mining lease management system. The move is also expected to support artificial sand production projects by ensuring better monitoring and planning, he said. Conventional land surveys often have inaccuracies that hinder efforts to check illegal mining. Our pilot study using drones showed significant accuracy, prompting us to adopt t

Russian strike kills 5, including 1 year old, hours after Trump calls Putin

At least five people, including a one-year-old child, were killed in a Russian drone strike on the northern Ukrainian city of Pryluky overnight, regional governor Viacheslav Chaus said on Thursday. Six more people were wounded in the attack and have been hospitalised, Chaus said. According to him, six Shahed-type drones struck residential areas of Pryluky early Thursday morning, causing severe damage to residential buildings. Hours later, 17 people were wounded in a Russian drone strike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Thursday, including children, a pregnant woman, and a 93-year-old woman, regional head Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram. At around 1.05 am, Shahed-type drones struck two apartment buildings in the city's Slobidskyi district, causing fires and destroying several private vehicles. "By launching attacks while people sleep in their homes, the enemy once again confirms its tactic of insidious terror," Syniehubov wrote on Telegram.

Ukraine, Russia meet in Turkiye for peace talks amid heightened tensions

Delegations from Russia and Ukraine gathered in Turkiye on Monday for their second round of direct peace talks in just over two weeks, although expectations were low for any significant progress on ending the three-year war. The Ukrainian delegation led Defence Minister Rustem Umerov was in Istanbul for the meeting, Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, said in a message posted on the Ukrainian Embassy Whatsapp group. The Russian delegation headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, arrived Sunday evening, Russian state media reported. Turkish officials said the meeting would start at 1 pm local time, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan presiding over the talks and officials from the Turkish intelligence agency also present. However, Ukrainian spokesperson Tykhyi said the start would be at midday local time. It was not immediately possible to clarify the discrepancy. Recent comments by senior officials in both countries

China boosts Xinjiang rainfall using 1 kg silver iodide and cloud drones

Chinese scientists used cloud seeding drones and just 1 kg of silver iodide to add over 70000 cubic metres of rainfall in Xinjiang enough to fill 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools

The biz of drone power: Startups, traditional giants fuel India's arsenal

As many as 550 drone companies have come up in India in 5 years. More than 100 companies are in the defence sector. Drone market revenue is expected be worth $11 billion by FY30

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