BengaluruBengaluru based defence startup Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace (FWDA) has secured a $30 million export order for its indigenous AI powered combat drone, the FWD Kaala Bhairav. This is a significant step for India’s defence industry as it moves toward self reliance and defence exports. The Kaala Bhairav is a medium altitude, long endurance (MALE) drone that can fly for up to 30 hours and cover a distance of 3,000 kilometers. It is made mostly in India, with about 80% indigenous content, reducing dependence on foreign systems like the US Predator and Israeli drones. The order comes from an unnamed South Asian country and marks India’s move from a defence importer to a defence exporter.
Flying Wedge’s founder and CEO, Suhas Tejaskanda, highlighted concerns about relying on foreign drones that may have embedded kill switches and send sensitive data through external servers. He said the Kaala Bhairav offers India complete control over its drone operations, avoiding these risks. In terms of cost, Kaala Bhairav is roughly one tenth the price of a Predator drone. According to FWDA, ten Kaala Bhairav drones can provide the same reconnaissance capability as one Predator. This means a fleet approach is less risky and more affordable, especially since losing one Predator can cost up to ₹1,000 crore (about $115 million).
The drone supports swarm warfare tactics where multiple drones operate together to carry out attacks and surveillance. It also has AI features like adaptive targeting and autonomous decision making during missions. FWDA also claims that they have built a fully Indian maintenance and repair system, which should help in reducing downtime and operational costs compared to foreign drones, which often rely on overseas maintenance.
India’s defence exports are growing, reaching over ₹21,000 crore ($2.5 billion) in 2023-24, and companies like FWDA are helping push this growth by developing and exporting homegrown technology. While FWDA faces competition from established manufacturers such as General Atomics and Israel Aerospace Industries, this export order is an important first step. The success of Kaala Bhairav could open doors for more Indian defence exports in the future. This development points to India gaining more independence in critical defence technology and increasing its presence in the global military drone market.
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