Aero India 2025: Drone makers drum up desi quotient, use of AI

Bengaluru: In the wake of the Union govt scrapping deals for 400 defence drones with Chinese components, companies at Aero India stressed a significant shift toward fully indigenous UAV technology, with manufacturers showcasing AI-enhanced capabilities and Made-in-India solutions.TOI spoke to multiple drone makers and found that a shift toward indigenous manufacturing has accelerated AI integration in defence UAVs, with the makers focusing on enhanced surveillance capabilities, improved efficiency, and advanced navigation systems capable of operating in challenging conditions.Delhi-based startup Enord demonstrated its inspector light defence variant, a completely redesigned surveillance drone featuring zero Chinese components. "We rebuilt everything to be completely Indian-made, aligning with the govt's push to eliminate Chinese components due to security concerns," said Zain Saeed, Enord's chief operating officer.The inspector drone boasts advanced features including ‘ease link for beyond visual line of sight' (BVLOS) operations and surround sense, a detect-and-avoid system. With onboard AI processing, real-time crowd detection, and swarm communication capabilities, the 4.8kg carbon fibre drone offers a 10km operational range and 55-minute flight time.Industry representatives emphasised that this transition strengthens national security while fostering technological innovation in India's drone sector.IdeaForge unveiled Netra 5, their latest surveillance drone equipped with dual payload systems. "Using the latest technology, we made drones that can automatically identify and escape obstacles," said Prasad Kabadi, marketing manager at ideaForge. The drone's synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capability enables detection through dense foliage while maintaining stealth at 1,000 metres of altitude.Netra 5 has anti-collision omnidirectional sensors, AI-powered analytics to track people and objects, and GNS-denied operations allowing it to return home even if jammed. Controlled via a rugged tablet with Blue Fire Touch software, the 6kg weather-proof drone is built for extreme conditions, ensuring mission success with advanced AI-driven autonomy.Hyderabad's Aksi Aerospace Group showcased its Shiv UAV, an innovative drone combining aerodynamic lift with rotor-driven control. "Unlike conventional UAVs, Shiv is unjammable," explained Pankaj Akula, group managing director.The drone operates without a magnetometer and uses AI-powered computer vision for autonomous navigation. Aksi recently secured a Rs 85 crore deal from Riga-based Fixar Global for UAV manufacturing in India.