India demonstrates swarm of small unmanned aircraft able to locate targets and unleash kamikaze attacks

Feb. 3, 2021
While new technologies and in particular AI and edge computing will drive drone swarms, the key element is the swarming software.

NEW DELHI, India – At a live demonstration for India’s Army Day in January, the Indian military showed off a swarm of 75 drones destroying simulated targets in explosive kamikaze attacks for the first time. Forbes reports. Continue reading original article

The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:

3 Feb. 2021 -- While the swarm’s exact capabilities are not clear, the event is a clear indication of how the technology is developing — and proliferating.

The swarm of 75 small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) shows the current state of the art, but India’s goal is a 1,000-drone swarm with the potential to overwhelm air defenses, and the low-cost means they can be deployed in far greater numbers than existing systems.

In the demonstration, scout drones investigated the targets, then mothership drones released explosive-laden kamikaze units which carried out the attacks.

Related: Air Force issues last call for project to develop network technologies that enable swarming unmanned aircraft

Related: Unmanned submarines seen as key to dominating the world’s oceans

Related: DARPA adds two companies to OFFSET swarm unmanned reconnaissance drone research project

John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Military Aerospace, create an account today!