Indian Army starts Make II 1,000km AI loitering drones project
India
The Indian Army has kicked off a project to get long-range loitering drones that can strike targets up to 1,000km away.
These smart drones use artificial intelligence (AI) for targeting and are built to work even when GPS signals are jammed.
The move comes under India's Make II policy, which pushes local industries to innovate and fund their own research and development.
Army drones carry 25kg warheads
Each drone will carry a 25kg warhead, hit within a 50-meter radius, fly above 5,000 meters, and zip along at more than 400km per hour.
The Army is looking to build much of the tech locally (think engines and avionics) for future scalability.
Tata Advanced Systems and Nibe Defence have also been shortlisted for the procurement of 850 shorter-range attack drones.