ideaForge’s hybrid mini UAV is meant for long-range ISR (Photo: ideaForge)
New Delhi: Indian drone maker ideaForge Technology has received a ₹137 crore emergency procurement order from the Indian Army for hybrid mini UAV systems. The UAVs are already in service with the Army for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.
The contract will be executed over 12 months to meet the Army’s immediate operational requirements.
Technical evaluation
The hybrid mini UAV is a fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) platform. The selection process required all critical sub-components to be sourced from countries that don’t share land borders with India.
Two independent technical committees were formed after trials to verify the integrity and origin of the UAV’s critical components. The committees conducted factory visits to physically and digitally examine each unit to verify component origin and source authenticity.
Certification and operations
The UAV received “fit for Indian military use” certification from the Directorate General of Quality Assurance in January this year. The platform was deployed during Operation Sindoor, where it provided ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) support to the armed forces.
The chief executive officer of ideaForge, Ankit Mehta, said the emergency procurement order for counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations would help protect national security. He added that the military-use certification confirmed the company’s ability to build reliable UAVs in India.
The 12-month execution timeline aligns with the Army’s immediate operational requirements for the emergency procurement.
