The Indian Army has publicly revealed on its Twitter account that it is actively pursuing the use of large swarms of small drones to support defensive and offensive ground combat operations.
The concept, known as a “swarm,” envisions a large number of relatively small drones acting in concert to attack a single target. The goal is to overwhelm the target’s possible defenses, neutralizing them, allowing some drones, often armed with explosive warheads, to deliver multiple strikes against a single target or specific area.
Indian Army drones are equipped with various sensors and data links to control stations. In the demo, one station can control multiple drones simultaneously. They can be pre-programmed to follow a specific route and can be adjusted in flight based on real-time observations passed to the controller.
However, drones in swarms can also use artificial intelligence (AI) to coordinate their maneuvers and flight. Because they operate as a coordinated team, individual drones can be configured for reconnaissance and surveillance, or optimized for strike, with each drone taking on its specific mission and then contributing to a larger specific mission.
Onboard algorithms provide navigation and collision avoidance, while automatic recognition aids in localization.
The development and successful field demonstration of the airfields in the prefecture is part of the Army’s “Make in India” programme to make the country self-sufficient in defence systems. A related drone development effort is the “Make-II” program to further enhance its capabilities.
Stephen W. Miller
