Drones and defence tech

Drones and their software 12 companies

These companies make drones, and the software that flies them, manages fleets of them and recognises what their cameras see.

Drone makers

Drones for the armed forces and police, swarms, and an AI pilot.

NewSpace Research and TechnologiesNewSpace Research and Technologies, with engineers in Bengaluru, builds swarms of drones that operate together, and high-altitude aircraft that stay in the air for days.BengaluruHired recently

Shield AIShield AI, an American company with engineers in Delhi, makes the V-BAT drone and Hivemind, an AI pilot that flies aircraft without GPS and without a link to an operator.BengaluruHiring now

ideaForgeideaForge, with engineers in Bengaluru, is India's largest drone maker. It makes the SWITCH and NETRA drones, used by the armed forces and the police, and its shares are traded on the stock market.

ADASIADASI, the drone maker of the UAE's EDGE group, with engineers in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, makes tactical drones and loitering munitions.

TelebortiXTelebortiX, in Delhi, is another company that works on drones.

Optiemus Unmanned SystemsOptiemus Unmanned Systems is another company that works on drones.

AccelUAVAccelUAV, in Hyderabad, is another company that works on drones.

Software for flying and managing drones

Fleets in boxes, ground control, traffic, and seeing with AI.

FlytBaseFlytBase, founded in Pune, sells software that runs fleets of drones kept in boxes on site. Each drone launches from its box, lands back in it and charges there, with no one present.Pune

Auric AI LabsAuric AI Labs, with engineers in Bengaluru, builds AI models that recognise what a camera sees, used for surveillance and on military unmanned systems.BengaluruHired recently

AlgoBotixAlgoBotix, with engineers in Bengaluru, sells ground-control software, and software for managing drone traffic.

Skylark LabsSkylark Labs, with engineers in Pune, builds AI models that recognise what a camera sees, used for surveillance and on military unmanned systems.

Applied IntuitionApplied Intuition, with engineers in Bengaluru, sells autonomy software to defence forces.BengaluruSee alsoAutonomous driving and ADAS

The tech, explainedDrones Drone autonomy software Computer vision for drones Drone swarms Drone ground control station Drone in a box

Radios, radar testing, unmanned vessels and defence robots 10 companies

These companies make the radios that link drones and soldiers, equipment for testing radars, unmanned vessels and defence robots.

Radios and radar testing

Telemetry receivers, radar simulators, and satellite and mesh radios.

ConstelliConstelli, with engineers in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, makes receivers for the data a drone or missile sends while it flies, radar simulators and counter-drone systems for India's defence laboratories.Hyderabad

ViasatViasat, with engineers in Chennai and Hyderabad, makes satellite terminals and tactical radios.Chennai · HyderabadHired recentlySee alsoSatellite and wireless communications

Silvus TechnologiesPart of Motorola SolutionsSilvus Technologies, with engineers in Bengaluru, makes mesh radios, in which each radio passes messages on for the others, so drones and army units can talk without a mobile network.See alsoSatellite and wireless communications

Unmanned vessels and defence robots

Vessels that sail on their own, and robotic defence systems.

UUnnayan Defence TechnologiesUnnayan Defence Technologies, in Hyderabad, is another company that works on defence systems.Hyderabad

BBig Bang Boom SolutionsBig Bang Boom Solutions, in Chennai, is another company that works on defence systems.Chennai

Ci4Ci4, with engineers in Bengaluru, builds unmanned vessels that sail on the surface or under water.

Rekise MarineRekise Marine builds unmanned vessels that sail on the surface or under water.

Defence MasterDefence Master, with engineers in Chennai, makes robotic defence systems and unmanned vehicles.

AAlgoforge AerospaceAlgoforge Aerospace, in Bengaluru, is another company that works on defence systems.

PSYC Aerospace & Defence IndustriesPSYC Aerospace & Defence Industries is another company that works on defence systems.

The tech, explainedUnmanned systems Counter-drone systems (C-UAS)

How it all worksDrone technologyA pipeline, a wedding, a border, planned on a screen.

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What's changing

The swarm that decides.

The war in Ukraine showed cheap drones changing the battlefield. Armies are now buying drones that fly, find targets and coordinate on their own, and systems that counter them, with AI models as the pilot. How much a machine may decide on its own in war is being argued while the systems are being built.