In a significant stride for India’s indigenous defence sector, the Surat-based start-up InsideFPV has successfully fulfilled a ₹10 crore contract by delivering hundreds of high-altitude First Person View (FPV) Kamikaze drones to the Indian Army.
This procurement was facilitated through the Ministry of Defence’s Emergency Procurement Route (EPR), a specialised mechanism designed to bypass traditional bureaucratic delays to meet immediate operational requirements for the nation’s security.
The execution of the contract was notably swift, with the start-up delivering hundreds of indigenously developed drone platforms within a compact two-month window. This rapid turnaround underscores the growing agility of India’s private aerospace sector in responding to urgent military demands. The drones themselves represent a leap in specialised engineering, specifically tailored to survive and thrive in some of the world’s most unforgiving environments.
Engineered for extreme conditions, these Kamikaze drones are capable of operating in temperatures plummeting to -35°C. Crucially, they are designed to function in “denied environments” where GPS signals are either jammed by electronic warfare or naturally unavailable due to terrain. This makes them a formidable tool for precision strikes in regions where conventional guidance systems often fail.
The Indian Army has designated these units for deployment in sensitive, high-altitude zones such as Ladakh. Their arrival is expected to significantly bolster surveillance and offensive capabilities along India’s mountainous borders.
The technology underwent rigorous validation before acceptance, proving its mettle at the HIM-Drone-a-thon 2 held in Wari La, Ladakh, where it successfully operated at altitudes exceeding 18,000 feet.
To keep pace with this escalating demand and to manage increasingly larger defence contracts, InsideFPV is currently transitioning its operations to a new 20,000 square-foot manufacturing facility.
This expansion is a direct reflection of the company’s trajectory as a key player in the domestic drone ecosystem and its commitment to scaling production for national interests.
This delivery serves as a landmark achievement for the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) initiative. By prioritising indigenous designs and manufacturing, the project actively reduces the military’s long-standing dependence on foreign-origin components.
This move not only secures the supply chain for critical military hardware but also ensures that the technology remains proprietary and tailored to the unique topographical challenges of the Indian subcontinent.
IDN (With Agency Inputs)
