Indian Army Will Use Made in India Drones to Conduct Surveillance

The Indian Army will soon start using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for surveillance. The Mumbai-based company ideaForge has been awarded the contract to supply the Indian Army with 200 SWITCH UAVs.

This is the company’s first single VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) Mini UAV defence contract in the world. This comes on the heels of the Union Budget statement that 68 percent of the defence capital procurement budget will be spent on domestic procurement.

What other firms submitted bids for this contract?

After facing competition from France, Ukraine, Russia, and Israel, as well as other Indian enterprises, the Indian company signed the deal. According to the company’s official statement, the SWITCH UAV was the only system to successfully complete the Indian Army’s rigorous testing and field trials.

Previously, it was thought that a Fixed Wing UAV would be the best option for last-mile deployments. After evaluating the Indian Army’s actual operating constraints, the Indian business ideaForge developed a Hybrid Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) platform. According to the business, this device can be launched by hand or taken off without a runway, making it a great alternative for the Indian Army.

“Our drones are ‘Built like a bird and tested like a tank,'” he continues. This is an expression we developed while our systems were going through the most rigorous field trials and lab testing as part of our quest to win this contract.”

The company is currently focusing on the worldwide market, with the goal of providing last-mile situational information to those who want to safeguard their borders or equip their forces.