The Indian Army has achieved a significant milestone in tactical drone warfare with the successful development and induction of its first-ever First Person View (FPV) drone equipped with an anti-tank payload.

This innovative project, launched in August 2024, was a collaborative effort between the Army and the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh.

The drone was developed by Major Cephas Chetan in conjunction with a TBRL team led by Dr. Raghvendra.

The FPV drone, which costs approximately ₹1.4 lakh per unit, has been designed for precision strikes and features a dual safety system to prevent accidental detonation. The Army has already inducted an initial batch of five drones and plans to procure an additional 95 units.

This development comes in the wake of the increased use of FPV drones in the Ukraine conflict, where they have proven effective in neutralising costly military assets such as tanks.

The entire assembly process took place at the Rising Star Drone Battle School, which has fabricated over 100 drones within the formation as of March 2025.

This in-house production capability demonstrates the Indian Army's commitment to enhancing its tactical drone warfare capabilities. The successful development and testing of this FPV drone with an impact-based, Kamikaze-role anti-tank munition marks a significant advancement in the Indian Army's arsenal, potentially altering battlefield dynamics in future conflicts.

Agencies