Surat-based insideFPV successfully tests anti-jamming kamikaze drone in Ladakh

Surat-based defence technology company insideFPV has become the first Indian company to test a kamikaze First-Person View (FPV) drone under active electronic warfare (EW) conditions at an altitude of approximately 18,000 feet in Ladakh. According to a report by DeshGujarat, the company's indigenous kamikaze FPV drone 'Advik' was tested while electronic warfare systems, including advanced drone defence systems, were operational. During these trials, the drone maintained its flight and communication links, demonstrating its anti-jamming capabilities. Following the tests, the drone has been handed over to the Indian Army.

Electronic warfare poses a significant challenge to small attack drones on the modern battlefield. The ongoing war in Ukraine has proven how communication jamming can disrupt FPV drone operations. When jammers affect the contact between the drone and its operator, the ability to maintain control over the aircraft and complete the mission is compromised.

To solve this problem, insideFPV developed an indigenous communication system instead of relying on commercially available components. Using its antenna rack system, the company prepared Advik's radio frequency (RF) communication switching link, integrating multiple RF systems with customised hardware for contested electromagnetic environments. This system is designed to keep additional weight and power consumption low and ensure no interference with the drone's camera or flight electronics. According to insideFPV, Advik successfully maintained its control link during the active jamming trials conducted so far.

Keeping the drone lightweight and affordable was a primary design objective. Explaining this approach, Devant Bhardwaj, CTO of insideFPV, said, “Most people believe that anti-jamming means a heavy and expensive drone. We wanted the opposite. We have been developing tactical low-cost drones since 2020 when no one took it seriously. These drones are compact, affordable enough to be expendable, and we have yet to see any jammer stop them.”

Ladakh was chosen to test Advik's communication system against electronic jamming and in challenging environmental conditions. At an altitude of 18,000 feet, thin air affects aerodynamic performance and propeller efficiency, while freezing temperatures can adversely impact battery performance. Regarding this, Bhardwaj stated, “If it works there, it will work anywhere on our borders.”

The indigenous development of an advanced drone communication system for India is a significant step toward strengthening the country's defence technology ecosystem and reducing dependence on foreign technology. Increasing production capacity in modern defence manufacturing is a major challenge, as unmanned systems need to be deployed in large numbers.

Emphasising the importance of scale in modern warfare, Major General Vikas Sharma (Retired) said, “Modern conflict is being decided by numbers as much as by technology. India needs nearly 1 lakh low-cost kamikaze drones for precision strikes, manufactured at a scale that reduces the cost per drone.”