Raphe mPhibr, a prominent Indian aerospace start-up, has secured a significant contract with the Indian Navy ADITI Challenge to indigenously design and develop a high supersonic to hypersonic "Ramjet" propulsion system for fixed-wing flying objects, such as missiles and aircraft.. This contract is part of a broader initiative to enhance India's defence capabilities through domestic innovation and manufacturing.

About Raphe mPhibr

Raphe mPhibr is a truly self reliant hi-tech manufacturing start-up, comprising of more than a hundred world class scientists and engineers propelled by a work culture that supports innovation. After three years of rigorous research using latest technology, fused with the experience and feedback from different armed forces and security agencies, the company has created 16 different products that cater to the specific needs of the Indian security forces.

The drones developed at Raphe have one of the best power to weight ratio in the world, laced with soaring autonomous capabilities. They can operate in high altitude Himalayan areas of Siachen, lift 100kg stores and can also be launched from the palm of the user. Real time monitoring and mission planning is made possible by ground support set up comprising of ground control stations, remote video terminals and ultra long range communication equipment.

The research activities performed at Raphe are not only limited to the product development but also span over the manufacturing processes. Armed with over 130 engineers and technicians earnest efforts are made in process innovation for manufacturing with an aim to reduce the production time, increased quality of production, achieve modularity and scalability in production processes. As a result of these efforts, Raphe has been able to achieve significant reduction of the time that is taken to convert an idea into a product.

Among the various advances in manufacturing made at Raphe, the following are the most significant:

Carbon Fibre And Composites Manufacturing: Raphe can truly boast about having one of a kind facility where every part of the drone is manufactured in-house through the process of cutting, chemical treating and heat treating the carbon fibre cloth to give it required strength while maintaining its light weight.

Additive Manufacturing Facility: India’s largest facility of its kind, comprising of – 3D printers that can manipulate thermoplastics, resins and metals such as – Aluminium, Titanium, Copper and Steel. This enables every small and hard to design and manufacture components to be made within our facility.

Engine Manufacturing And Testing Facility: Using a mix of latest technology such as metal additive manufacturing and conventional means of machining, Raphe makes its own engines for the long range and high endurance drones. This enables the UAVs to carry out versatile operations without much impact of externalities.

Electronics Manufacturing And Testing Facility: Raphe is home to India’s 1st PCB line for manufacturing, in-line testing and storage of MIL grade PCBs.

Research & Development: Raphe’s ability to indigenously design and manufacture customized UAV platforms can be attributed to its research and development wing which comprises of Aeronautical, Mechanical, Material, Chemical, Electronics, Controls and Software Research departments. Comprising of over 125 scientist and engineers from top institutes from India and all over the world, Raphe’s team has developed over 169 patentable technologies to support their UAV platforms. Novel carbon fibre composite materials developed at Raphe are light weight, robust and have superior thermal & electrical properties. The bio-inspired designs of airframes, high density electronics along with efficient and reliable software technologies render the Raphe’s UAV platforms their best-in-class efficiency, robustness and payload carrying capabilities.

The drones developed at Raphe are already in service with DRDO, Indian Army, Indian Navy, CRPF, BSF and other police forces. These drones are designed to operate in challenging environments, such as the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas, and can be launched from submarines, making them versatile for various military applications. The company provides end to end customer support and assistance as per the requirement of the security agencies.

Technological Innovations

Raphe mPhibr is recognized for its cutting-edge technology in drone manufacturing, which includes:

- Bio-inspired designs for airframes that enhance efficiency.

- High-density electronics and reliable software technologies that contribute to the performance of their UAV platforms.

- The capability to carry significant payloads, with some drones able to lift up to 100 kg.


Strategic Importance

The development of an innovative hypersonic propulsion system aligns with India's strategic goal of achieving self-reliance in defence technology. By fostering local start-ups like Raphe mPhibr, the Indian government aims to reduce dependency on foreign technology and enhance national security.

Raphe mPhibr's contract with the Indian Navy marks a pivotal step in advancing indigenous defence technologies, particularly in the realm of hypersonic propulsion and drone capabilities.

Agencies