Overview
- The Indian Air Force issued requests for information for a compact micro‑UAV for its Garud Special Forces and for a new layered interceptor suite to defeat hostile drones.
- The micro‑UAV requirements call for operation up to 16,400 feet in temperatures from minus 20°C to 50°C with at least 15 km range and 60 minutes of endurance.
- The system must be man‑portable by two personnel with a total packed weight under 25 kg, feature vertical takeoff and landing, and work without GPS using links scalable to India’s IRNSS navigation signals.
- The interceptor RFI outlines three tiers that autonomously track and strike targets: a man‑portable unit to detect and track at 1,000 metres and 5 km, a vehicle‑launched option to neutralise at 5,000 metres and 10 km, and a higher‑altitude drone to neutralise at 7,000 metres and 25 km while serving as command and control.
- Both RFIs prioritise ‘Buy Indian’ categories with at least 60% indigenous content and invite start‑ups and MSMEs, reflecting a post‑Operation Sindoor revamp and a push for domestic design, manufacturing, and lifecycle support.