Surat-Based insideFPV Tests Anti-Jamming Kamikaze Drone in Ladakh, Delivers It to Army

Surat: Gujarat-based defence technology company insideFPV has become the first Indian company to conduct trials of a kamikaze First-Person View (FPV) drone under active electronic warfare (EW) conditions at an altitude of approximately 18,000 feet in Ladakh.

The company’s indigenous kamikaze FPV drone, Advik, was tested with electronic warfare systems, including the Advanced Drone Defence System, switched on. During the trials, the drone maintained its flight and communication link, demonstrating its anti-jamming capabilities. The drone has subsequently been delivered to the Indian Army.

The trials address one of the major challenges confronting small attack drones on modern battlefields: electronic warfare. Conflicts such as the ongoing war in Ukraine have demonstrated how communication jamming can significantly disrupt FPV drone operations. When jammers interfere with the communication link between a drone and its operator, the ability to control the aircraft and complete its mission can be compromised.

To address this challenge, insideFPV has developed an indigenous communication system rather than relying on commercially available components. The company engineered Advik’s radio frequency (RF) communication switching link using its antenna rack system, integrating multiple RF systems with customised hardware designed for contested electromagnetic environments.

The system has been designed to minimise additional weight and power consumption while preventing interference with the drone’s camera and flight electronics. According to insideFPV, Advik has successfully maintained its control link during the active jamming trials conducted so far.

Keeping the drone lightweight and affordable was a deliberate design objective. Explaining the approach, Deyvant Bhardwaj, CTO of insideFPV, said, “Most people assume anti-jamming means a heavier, costlier drone. We wanted the opposite. We have been developing tactical low cost drones since 2020 when nobody took that seriously. These drones are compact, cheap enough to lose, and we haven’t seen a jammer stop it yet.”

Ladakh was selected to test Advik’s communication system against electronic jamming alongside challenging environmental conditions. At approximately 18,000 feet, thinner air affects aerodynamic performance and propeller efficiency, while freezing temperatures can adversely impact battery performance, making high-altitude operations particularly challenging for compact aerial platforms.

Explaining the rationale behind the location, Bhardwaj said, “If it works up there, it works anywhere on our borders.”

insideFPV’s indigenous approach represents one of several strategies being pursued globally to counter drone jamming. US-based Neros secured an order for 6,000 FPV drones for Ukraine in 2025 following a tender that initially involved 260 companies, with its custom-built radio receivers cited as a significant factor.

Other manufacturers have explored fibre-optic-controlled drones, which eliminate radio communication links altogether but rely on physical cables that can restrict operational range.

For India, the indigenous development of advanced drone communication systems represents an important step towards strengthening the country’s defence technology ecosystem and reducing dependence on foreign technologies.

Beyond technological capabilities, scaling up production remains a major challenge for modern defence manufacturing. Contemporary conflicts increasingly demonstrate that unmanned systems must be deployed in large numbers, requiring platforms that are sufficiently affordable for mass production and operational deployment.

Highlighting the importance of scale in modern warfare, Major General Vikash Sharma (Retd.) said, “Modern conflict is being decided by numbers as much as by technology. India needs around one lakh low-cost kamikaze drones for precision strikes, built at a scale that brings the cost per drone down. That is only possible if they are designed and produced in India, so they can be made in volume and stay ahead of the enemy’s jammers.”