Projected Requirement for Tethered Drones

The Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR) 2025 directly mentions the requirement for 5,000 tethered drones, designed for round-the-clock surveillance in high-altitude operational areas up to 18,000 feet. The Army has clearly articulated operating norms—these drones must work in extreme temperatures ranging from −50°C to +45°C and deliver up to 9 hours of persistent aerial surveillance in tethered mode, vital for both border regions and forward posts.

Tender Requirements

The latest RFI calls for 5,000 tethered drone systems, reflecting immediate operational needs for surveillance, both day and night, with enhanced data relay and communications support.

The tender documents specify the altitude, endurance, payload, data security, and ruggedization criteria. Companies need to demonstrate proven operational deployment in similar environments. Requirements include high wind resistance, encrypted communications, failsafe systems for power and control, and modular payloads for different mission profiles, including EO/IR cameras, radar, and radio relays.

Some of the important specifications are as follows:

• Operating Altitude: Up to 18,000 feet—securing supremacy in the most challenging mountainous regions.
• Environmental Extremity: Functioning from a frigid −50oC to a scorching +45oC.
• Surveillance Endurance: A minimum of 9 hours of continuous flight in tethered mode.

Indian and global OEMs are invited, with an explicit preference for indigenous manufacturing under Make in India and offset clauses for global buys. This large-scale procurement is highly likely to trigger India’s mandatory Defence Offset Policy. Foreign OEMs must reinvest 30% of the contract value back into India via avenues like Joint Ventures (JVs), Transfer of Technology (ToT), or co-manufacturing. The 30% Offset Obligation applies to all ‘Buy (Global)’ capital acquisitions valued at ₹2,000 Crore (approx. $240 mn) or more.

Employment and Operational Use

Tethered drones are to be deployed along the Line of Control (LoC), Line of Actual Control (LAC), and Siachen, giving persistent overwatch in difficult terrain where conventional deployments are challenged.

Used in network-centric operations, tethered drones can function as airborne radio and data relays for forward units.

Some advanced deployments include jammers and electronic warfare payloads to disrupt hostile drones or signal.

Contemporary Success Stories in Conflict Zones

Ukraine: Tethered drones have been instrumental in trench warfare, offering persistent reconnaissance and communications relays for forces under constant threat, with minimal risk of power/battery shortages or loss due to electronic warfare.

Israel: Used extensively for border surveillance, anti-infiltration, and integrating with automated searchlights and long-range sensors.

Indian Deployments: The Army is already fielding limited numbers in sensitive zones, reporting enhanced situational awareness, reduced intrusions, and successful coordination in joint operations.

Leading Indian Manufacturers in Tethered Drones

BEL. Bharat Electronics Limited has launched multiple tethered UAV models tailored for defence surveillance and communications in harsh conditions. The BEL’s tethered UAV system is a hexacopter designed for high-endurance surveillance and monitoring, It is capable of rising to 100 meters, providing 6 hours continuous operation per sortie (with a rest cycle for cooling). It offers Electro-optic infrared (EO/IR) sensors for both day and night operations, with surveillance range up to 2 km in daylight, 1 km at night. It can be launched from ground vehicles, ships, or static positions for “virtual mast” surveillance, perimeter monitoring, and border security. It has emergency battery operation in case of power failure and modular payload options.

Dhaksha Unmanned Systems. It provides rugged and modular tethered UAV systems under the DH-Tethered UAV series, supporting both military and police applications. The DH-Tethered UAV is of hexacopter design, operating at heights of 100 meters; 24-hour endurance on continuous power supply, 1.5 kg payload, 20 km/h wind resistance. It has a combined EO and thermal camera, gimbal and video stabilization, day/night persistent tracking. It can be assembled in <10 minutes, and is foldable for compact storage. It has direct linking to command and control systems, indigenous winching enclosure, automatic winching and power management.

NewSpace Research & Technologies. The Nimbus Scope model is their flagship tethered drone, developed for super high-altitude and persistent ISR. Its key features are – Twin aerial vehicles per system, up to 200 feet altitude, at least 6 hours continuous tethered operation, 45 mins untethered. It has advanced EO and IR sensors, modular payloads for surveillance and communication. With portable GCS, robust generator, tether/winch station, backup batteries, it is optimized for high-altitude environments such as the LAC.

AERIAL IQ. The Aviral tethered drone, marketed as India’s leading persistent surveillance platform, has long airborne endurance (reported up to 24 hours by product coverage), is immune to jamming with fiber-optic tether, autonomous flight/landing, remote operation from vehicles/vessels. It has high configurable payload capacity—EO/IR sensors, radios, tactical communications modules. It is designed for rapid fielding, mobile units, and secure data relaying for military, fire, and emergency services.

Foreign Players

The leading foreign companies best known for tethered drones include Elistair (France/USA), Hoverfly Technologies (USA), Drone Aviation (USA), Fotokite (Switzerland), DJI (China), and Novadem (France). For policy reasons, DJI will not be eligible to collaborate.

Elistair (France/USA). Widely regarded as the global leader in tethered drone solutions, offering award-winning products like the Orion 2 for defense, law enforcement, and industrial use.

Hoverfly Technologies (USA). Specializes in advanced tethered drone systems designed for persistent surveillance and security in harsh environments.

Drone Aviation (USA). Known for its tactical tethered drones used by military agencies for persistent observation.

Fotokite (Switzerland). Renowned for actively tethered drones used in public safety, emergency response, and fire departments worldwide.Novadem (France). Provides tethered drone systems for law enforcement and defense customers, especially in Europe.

Globally, Elistair is consistently identified as the market leader for tethered drones, holding a substantial share especially in defense and security applications. Hoverfly Technologies and Fotokite follow as significant players with strong presences in North America and Europe, respectively. DJI possesses a notable share in commercial and inspection sectors but is not dominant in the defense market.

Conclusion This procurement not only sets new standards in drone endurance and sophistication but is also poised to transform India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, leveraging the defence offset policy to bring in new investments, JV opportunities, and advanced technological capabilities for indigenous industries. The scale and ambition of the Indian Army’s tethered drone programme are set to make it one of the largest deployments globally, placing India at the forefront of persistent surveillance and unmanned defence technology.

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The close-quarter carbines will be for frontline soldiers, including the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China where the two countries have been locked in a tense standoff since May 2020, the officials said.

The force is looking to acquire 5.56mm carbines with an effective range of at least 200 metres, the army said in their request for information (RFI). The document, published on 22 September, also spells out other desired parameters of the weapon, including accuracy and reliability.

The development comes months after the defence ministry cleared indigenous defence purchases worth ₹28,732 crore, including carbines, armed drone swarms and bullet-proof jackets. The army has also issued an RFI for 47,627 bulletproof jackets.

The defence acquisition council (DAC) had in July accorded its acceptance of necessity for the military hardware to provide a boost to self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector.

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Replying to a question in Lok Sabha on Tejas, Bhatt said the HAL responded to a Request for Information (RFI) or initial tender received from Royal Malaysian Air Force in February 2019. Subsequently, HAL responded in October 2021 to a Request For Proposal (RFP) issued by Malaysia for 18 aircraft, adding the twin-seater variant of the Tejas was offered.

Malaysia is procuring the aircraft to replace its ageing fleet of Russian MiG-29 fighter planes. The number of aircraft that Malaysia is looking at procuring is not immediately clear. In July, the then Chairman and Managing Director of HAL R Madhavan said the Tejas aircraft has emerged as the top choice for Malaysia.

The indigenous Tejas fighter jet competed with the developed aircraft of China, Russia and South Korea, and due to its features, it overshadowed all the aircraft.

Tejas may have an advantage in the case of the RMAF contract because of its relatively low per-unit cost and HAL’s offer of the package deal, which includes setting up a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in Malaysia for its fleet of Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets.

About Tejas LCA

Tejas, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments.

Tejas is fully capable of carrying a load of eight to nine tonnes. It can fly with as many weapons and missiles as Sukhoi, which weighs more. Its biggest advantage is its speed. Despite being light, its speed is unmatched. These aircraft can fly as fast as the speed of sound, i.e., Mach 1.6 to 1.8, up at an altitude of 52,000 feet.

The Tejas Mark-1A is also costlier than the Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft because many latest equipment have been added to it. It has a radar developed in Israel. The aircraft also has an indigenously developed radar. It is very light and its fighter power is also better. It is a multifunctional fighter aircraft.

Tejas is fitted with an active electronically-scanned radar for critical operation capability. It can refuel in the air and be ready for war again. It can target enemy aircraft from a distance. Not only this, it also has the ability to dodge the enemy’s radar.

The open architecture computer systems allow the HAL Tejas to incorporate Russian and Western armaments, giving an edge to the Indian-made light fighter

Tejas made its first flight in January 2001. The aircraft was inducted into the squadron of the Indian Air Force in 2016

In February last year, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas light combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Many countries interested in Tejas LCA

At least seven countries have shown interest in India’s homegrown Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the Indian Defense Ministry informed the Parliament in a statement on August 5.

The US, Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines are among six countries, which have shown interest in India’s Tejas aircraft while Malaysia has already shortlisted the jet under its acquisition programme.

The other two countries that have evinced interest in the aircraft are Argentina and Egypt, according to Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt.

In September 2021, HAL responded to the Request for Information (RFI) by the Royal Australian Air Force for procurement of future LIFT aircraft to replace its existing fleet of 33 ‘Hawk MK-127 LIFT aircraft of the British Aerospace and Engineering (BAE) Systems.

In the RAAF tender, LCA Tejas competes with the T-7A Red Hawk trainer that Boeing and Swedish Saab jointly develop; M-346 of the Italian aerospace major Leonardo; and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50 that has been co-developed with Lockheed Martin.

In addition, BAE had also proposed its upgraded Hawk. In February, the company was awarded a contract worth $1.5 billion to upgrade the RAAF’s existing fleet of Hawk MK-127, suggesting India is now out of the race to win the Australian LIFT Aircraft contract.

Before Australia, India had offered the LCA Tejas’ LIFT variant to the US Navy in 2020 in response to the global RFI issued by the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to procure a new trainer to replace its fleet of Boeing T-45 Goshawks.

The latest reports suggest that the T-7B Red Hawk, an American/Swedish advanced jet trainer produced by Boeing in partnership with Saab, is competing with offerings from Leonardo and Lockheed Martin to replace the Navy’s current T-45 Goshawk advanced jet trainer.

Even the UAE had shown interest in Tejas LCA in 2018. However, in February, the UAE Defense Ministry announced that it was buying L-15 training and combat aircraft from the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), which was seen as a snub to Tejas.

Argentina could soon be the latest addition to the list of foreign customers of JF-17. In May, a delegation of the Argentine Air Force comprising pilots and technicians visited China for a complete technical evaluation of the J-17 fighter aircraft. It was believed that India had also pitched its Tejas LCA.

India appears to be in talks with the Egyptian Air Force about a potential deal to sell Tejas Mk1A, as part of which India has offered to set up joint production facilities for the aircraft.

Comments

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, keen to reduce India’s reliance on foreign defence equipment, has also been making diplomatic efforts to export the jets. The Tejas has been beset by design and other challenges, and was once rejected by the Indian Navy as too heavy.

Britain said in April it would support India’s goal of building its own fighter jets. India currently has a mix of Russian, British and French fighter jets.

The LCA Mk1 is already in service, and the more capable LCA-Mk1A, 83 of which the IAF had ordered in February last year, will be delivered to the Indian Air Force by the end of this decade. The first three aircraft are reported to be delivered by 2024, with 16 each for the next five years. In addition to the LCA Tejas Mk2, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has also committed to acquiring at least seven squadrons of the fifth-generation Indian fighter Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), which is also being developed at a breakneck pace, informed the IAF top boss

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