Surat Startup Delivers 100 Indigenous Kamikaze Drones to Indian Army in Just 60 Days
Inside FPV's rapid production milestone highlights India's growing defence startup ecosystem and push for indigenous unmanned systems
A Surat-based defence technology startup has delivered 100 indigenous kamikaze drones to the Indian Army within just 60 days, marking one of the fastest production cycles achieved by an Indian defence startup in the rapidly evolving unmanned aerial systems (UAS) sector.
The drones were developed by Inside FPV, which said the project was executed to meet operational requirements of the Indian Army. The rapid delivery timeline has attracted attention within the defence industry, highlighting the increasing role of private startups in strengthening India's indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.
According to the company, the successful completion of the project was supported by both the Central and Gujarat state governments through various startup and innovation initiatives.
Speaking on the achievement, Inside FPV Chief Executive Officer Arth Chaudhary said government support played a key role in accelerating the programme.
"The Union government has provided strong support, and the state government has also extended grants to the company. Under the state's startup promotion policy, investment support has also been extended," Chaudhary said.
The indigenous loitering munition developed by the company is designed as a single-use precision strike drone capable of reaching speeds of over 250 km/h. The platform is intended for high-impact precision engagement missions against tactical targets while offering a significantly lower cost compared to comparable imported systems.
Although the company has not disclosed detailed technical specifications such as operational range, endurance, or payload capacity, it stated that the system has been developed to address the evolving operational requirements of modern battlefields.
Defence analyst T.P. Tyagi noted that loitering munitions are becoming increasingly important in contemporary warfare, particularly in light of recent global conflicts where unmanned systems have demonstrated their effectiveness in precision strike missions.
"The platform reflects emerging trends in unmanned warfare and may hold significance in future operational planning," Tyagi said.
The delivery comes amid India's continued push to strengthen domestic defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The government has increasingly encouraged private industry and defence startups to develop indigenous technologies across critical sectors, including drones, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and precision-guided weapons.
Inside FPV's latest achievement also reflects the growing contribution of India's startup ecosystem to defence innovation, an area traditionally dominated by established public and private sector defence manufacturers. As the Indian Armed Forces continue to expand their use of unmanned systems, indigenous startups are expected to play an increasingly important role in developing cost-effective and mission-specific technologies for future military operations.
