SOURCE: AFI
On March 28, 2025, the Indian Army took a significant step into the future of tactical warfare with the successful trial of indigenous First-Person View (FPV) drones equipped with explosive payloads. Developed in-house by Major Cephas Chetan of the Fleur-De-Lis Brigade, in collaboration with a team from the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh, led by Dr. Raghvendra, this kamikaze drone marks a historic milestone.
With an initial batch of five drones inducted and 95 more in procurement, each costing ?1.4 lakh, the Army is dipping its toes into a technology that’s reshaping battlefields globally. Yet, these numbers feel modest—too modest—for a capability that could redefine India’s military edge if scaled ambitiously to, say, 100,000 units.
The FPV drone, a first-of-its-kind for the Indian Army, is the brainchild of the Fleur-De-Lis Brigade and TBRL, launched in August 2024 as part of the Army’s push for self-reliance in warfare tech. Designed to deliver high-impact strikes with a 400-gram shaped charge warhead—capable of piercing tank armor—this kamikaze platform draws inspiration from conflicts like Ukraine, where FPV drones have neutralized multi-million-dollar assets for a fraction of the cost. At ?1.4 lakh per unit, it’s a bargain compared to imported systems like the U.S. Switchblade ($70,000+) or Israel’s Harop, offering a cost-effective, indigenous alternative tailored to India’s needs.
Unlike off-the-shelf drones, this FPV system was entirely fabricated at the Rising Star Drone Battle School, a hub of innovation within the Fleur-De-Lis Brigade. By March 2025, the school had churned out over 100 drones, showcasing the Army’s ability to control quality, integrate components, and adapt designs in real time based on TBRL’s expertise. This hands-on approach ensures structural integrity, optimal weight distribution, and flight dynamics suited for high-stakes missions—whether in the deserts of Rajasthan or the heights of Ladakh.
Safety is paramount with explosive-laden drones, and the Fleur-De-Lis Brigade has nailed it with a dual-safety system. The payload remains inert during transport, handling, and flight, activated only by the pilot via a radio controller—eliminating the risk of premature detonation. Adding to its precision, a live feedback relay system beams real-time payload status to the pilot’s FPV goggles, enhancing situational awareness and strike accuracy. Rigorous trials—covering explosive testing, aerial performance, and trigger validation—conducted in Pathankot and overseen by TBRL scientists, have proven the drone’s reliability and effectiveness, cementing its status as a battlefield-ready asset.
While this batch relies on radio frequency (RF) control, the global trend toward unjammable wire-guided FPV drones—using fiber-optic cables—looms large. Seen in Ukraine, these systems resist electronic warfare (EW) jamming, a growing threat on modern battlefields. India’s drone isn’t there yet, but the Army’s innovation trajectory suggests it’s only a matter of time. An unjammable variant could elevate this platform from a tactical tool to a strategic game-changer, especially along contested borders where EW is rampant.
The induction of five drones, with 95 more on order, is a commendable start—but it’s just that: a start. At 100 units total, the scale pales against the thousands deployed in Ukraine or the lakhs envisioned for future conflicts. Larger order sizes—think 100,000—could slash costs through economies of scale, potentially dropping the price below ?1 lakh per drone. This would align with India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” ethos, making high-impact tech affordable and deployable en masse. For context, the Army’s 156 LCH Prachand helicopters cost ?3.4 crore each; 100,000 FPV drones at ?1.4 lakh would total ?14,000 crore—less than half the LCH deal for exponentially more units.
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