In the current Operation Sindoor conducted by the Indian Army, drones emerged as the decisive force. From targeted loitering strikes to autonomous surveillance missions across the globe, drones are redefining modern wars and are determining how nations assert dominance and secure their borders. The current war landscape demands speed, precision, and decision-making without latency, and is something traditional warfare systems cannot deliver. As defence strategies worldwide shift towards autonomous and intelligent aerial systems, the need of the hour is clear: AI-powered, modular drone ecosystems that can operate with minimal human intervention while adapting dynamically to battlefield scenarios. In view of the same, Aerpace Industries Limited, in collaboration with Aerpace Robotics Pvt Ltd, UAV Tech Pvt Ltd, and Leospear Defence Pvt Ltd, has developed and tested India’s next-generation smart UAV ecosystem under the aerShield initiative.
Also read: How Operation Sindoor Was Fought With the Aid of Modern Technology
Each partner brings a core capability, which is AI and flight software from Aerpace Robotics, airframe and propulsion engineering from UAV Tech, and advanced munitions integration from Leospear Defence. The main innovation of this solution is aerOS, which is an AI-based autonomous drone control platform that enables real-time flight navigation, mission execution, obstacle avoidance, and targeting with surgical precision. The system powers high-performance drones such as:
• aerRecon ARM-5 (VTOL) and ARM-10 (STOL) for border surveillance
• aerReaper AMMO-R7 – a kamikaze drone equipped to carry RPG-class payloads for tactical strike missions
“We’re not simply building drones but are shaping a new frontier for India’s defence autonomy,” said Ravi Soni, Executive Director of Aerpace Industries. “aerShield is a testament to what homegrown innovation can achieve when guided by purpose and urgency. Our teams are committed to ensuring India leads, not follows, in the evolution of AI-driven defence.”
