Picture this: Swarms of armed drones unleash deadly strikes as terror outfits behind the joystick control fire from thousands of miles away. Or somewhere high above, eyes in the sky zero in to your location to watch every move you make.

A plot straight out of sci-fi thrillers not so long ago, the breathless pace of tech development has put drones at the centre of everyday life, being used for delivery to intelligence gathering and from covert surveillance missions to large-scale assaults. And just as important as the knowhow that makes drones ubiquitous is the one that detects it.

And that is where Unistring Tech Solutions (UTS) comes in. The Hyderabad-based indigenous defence R&D company's drone detection system AESA (Active Electronic Scanning Array) RADAR is capable of tracking up to 100 targets simultaneously. It also provides robust multi-target tracking capabilities, essential for complex operational scenarios involving numerous UAVs.

Founded by veteran DRDO scientists K. Srinivasa Raju and Nagendra Babu Samineni, UTS is at the forefront of a mission to redefine the future of electronic warfare and contribute to India's self-reliance in defence technologies.

According to Samineni, UTS managing director, the company is fully aligned to indigenising defence technologies and providing crucial solutions to the armed forces. "We dreamt 10 years ago that we should build a company, we should stop importing certain systems to India, and fortunately now we are able to achieve this. Today if you see large part of the anti drone systems that are being purchased by Indian government, they are all indigenously designed and developed and we are part of the subsystems of the Big Value systems that India has purchased in the name of anti drone," he said.

Recently, the company, he said, also secured a significant contract worth Rs 43.42 crore from Indian public sector undertaking for the supply of advanced electronic warfare (EW) equipment to bolster capabilities of the Indian armed forces.

We have got this AESA radar contract through IDEX where we will have to deliver this product in the next six to eight months... and this product has also got a lot of requirement because there is a huge minimum orders quantity (MOQ) that has been projected by the users. So this is a really good initiative from the government to encourage the startups... earlier defence procurement cycles used to be very long," he said.

The AESA RADAR `hits the mark' on all counts. The radar is equipped with advanced electronic counter-countermeasure (ECCM) features to counteract jamming and other electronic warfare tactics, ensuring reliable performance even in contested environments.

It is optimised for detecting and tracking swarms of drones, a critical capability given the rising threat of coordinated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks. Its AI-based classification algorithms reduce false alarms by accurately distinguishing between drones and other objects such as birds.

Traditional radar systems, suitable for detecting larger aircraft, have long struggled to provide accurate and timely detection of smaller, agile UAVs - underlining the need for a specialised solution tailored to counter the unique challenges posed by small drones.

The AESA RADAR for counter-drone applications marks a significant advancement in radar technology and is, designed to address the growing threats posed by UAVs. It is the result of extensive research and development, validated through rigorous testing, and is recognised for its innovation and effectiveness.

According to the company, the motivation to enhance national security, meet user requirements, and drive innovation was central to the development of this ground breaking product.

UTS recently clinched a prestigious industry award. The 49th ELCINA awards 2023-2024 ceremony was held in Delhi. The applause that filled the hall as the two UTS founders took to the stage at a glittering ceremony was an acknowledgement of the countless days spent in building a shared dream—UST contributing to mission of a self-reliant India at the cutting-edge of electronic warfare.

UTS sees the prestigious ELCINA (Electronic Industries Association of India) award it received (for innovation in the small and medium enterprises category) as a recognition of its commitment towards advancing India's defence capabilities through innovation and technological excellence.

With the global increase in demand for counter-drone technologies, the AESA RADAR has strong export potential.

"It will be considered for export...however we will have to go through the government procedures for exports so will have to take the due clearances. We can export these products to friendly countries as designated by the government we can do that," Babu said.

Armed with the new order, UTS is poised to further strengthen its position in the defense electronics market.

According to Samineni, the leading provider of innovative solutions in the domains of electronic warfare, radar, communication systems, and other advanced technologies, is eyeing a turnover of over ₹250 crore in the current financial year.

So this year we have close to ₹250 plus crore of projects to be executed and this is one among them...we see tremendous growth for the company supported by the foundation we have laid over the last 10 years, the kind of technologies that we have developed are really yielding the benefits," he said.

For Unistring Tech Solutions and founders, while the award and industry wins mark proud milestones, the mission and onward march continues.

Agencies