IdeaForge Technology Limited

India's defence sector is witnessing a major transformation, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become an increasingly important part of modern military and security operations. At the forefront of India's indigenous drone industry is ideaForge Technology Limited, a Navi Mumbai-based aerospace and defence technology company that has been developing unmanned aerial systems for nearly two decades.

Founded in 2007 by IIT Bombay graduates Ankit Mehta, Rahul Singh and Ashish Bhat, ideaForge began with an ambition to develop indigenous unmanned aircraft technology in India. What started with early quadrotor prototypes eventually evolved into a company supplying UAV solutions for defence forces, government agencies, disaster-management operations and commercial applications.

From IIT Bombay to the Defence Sector

The story of ideaForge began at IIT Bombay, where its founders experimented with quadrotor technology. The company was subsequently incubated at the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), the institute's technology incubator.

In its early years, ideaForge concentrated on multi-rotor platforms designed for surveillance and aerial imaging. By 2009, the company had expanded its technological capabilities and developed a vertical take-off and landing UAV.

The growth of India's drone industry was not always straightforward. Regulatory restrictions during the mid-2010s limited civilian drone operations, creating challenges for companies operating in the sector. Despite these difficulties, ideaForge continued to focus on developing indigenous UAV technologies, particularly for defence and government applications.

A major milestone came in July 2023, when ideaForge became a publicly listed company, with its shares beginning to trade on the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange.

A Portfolio Built Around Unmanned Systems

ideaForge's core business revolves around the development and manufacturing of unmanned aerial systems. Its portfolio includes multi-rotor UAVs, micro-UAVs and hybrid vertical take-off and landing platforms.

Among its better-known systems are NETRA, Q6, NINJA and SWITCH.

The NETRA platform is one of the company's established multi-rotor UAVs and was co-developed with the Defence Research and Development Organisation's Research and Development Establishment. It has been designed for missions where aerial surveillance and real-time situational awareness are important.

The Q6 family represents another segment of ideaForge's UAV portfolio, while NINJA provides a more compact unmanned platform for applications where portability and rapid deployment are important.

One of the company's most significant platforms is the SWITCH UAV. Its hybrid VTOL architecture combines vertical take-off and landing capability with fixed-wing flight characteristics. This allows the aircraft to operate from locations where conventional runways are unavailable while providing the benefits of fixed-wing flight.

Technology Beyond the Drone

ideaForge's capabilities extend beyond manufacturing aircraft.

The company develops technologies covering flight control, navigation, telemetry, communications, data transmission and mission management. Its navigation capabilities are particularly relevant to environments where satellite-based positioning may be unreliable or unavailable.

The integration of aircraft, sensors, communication systems and software enables UAVs to function as complete aerial intelligence platforms rather than simply remotely controlled aircraft.

This technology becomes especially valuable in defence environments, where operators may need reliable information from difficult terrain and rapidly changing situations.

Role in India's Defence and Security Operations

Defence and homeland security remain important areas for ideaForge.

Its UAV systems have been used by Indian security forces for surveillance along the Line of Control and Line of Actual Control. UAVs can provide commanders and security personnel with an aerial view of terrain without requiring personnel to physically enter potentially dangerous areas.

Their applications can include reconnaissance, border surveillance, intelligence gathering, tactical observation, perimeter monitoring and situational awareness.

The importance of these capabilities has grown as militaries around the world increasingly incorporate unmanned systems into their operations.

SWITCH MINI and the Indian Army

A significant milestone for ideaForge came in January 2025, when the SWITCH MINI UAV received "Fit for Indian Military Use" certification from the Directorate General of Quality Assurance.

The platform subsequently attracted significant attention from the Indian Army. In May 2025, following Operation Sindoor, the Army placed an order valued at approximately ₹137 crore for hybrid Mini UAVs intended for counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.

The order highlighted the growing demand for compact and deployable unmanned systems within India's military ecosystem.

Beyond Defence

While defence is a major part of ideaForge's business, its UAV technology has also been used for civilian and government applications.

The company's drones were deployed during the 2013 Uttarakhand floods and the 2021 Chamoli glacial outburst. In disaster situations, UAVs can provide aerial imagery of areas that may be difficult or dangerous for rescue teams to access.

ideaForge's systems have also been used for aerial surveys under the government's SVAMITVA scheme, which uses drone-based mapping to support the digitisation of rural land records.

These applications demonstrate how UAV technology can extend beyond military operations into infrastructure, mapping, disaster response and public administration.

Expanding Into Training and Support

As India's drone ecosystem has matured, the need for trained operators and lifecycle support has also increased.

ideaForge provides maintenance, repair and overhaul services, drone services and remote-pilot training. In May 2025, the company received certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct Remote Pilot Certificate training for small unmanned aircraft systems.

This gives the company an opportunity to participate not only in UAV manufacturing but also in the broader drone ecosystem.

Looking Beyond India

ideaForge has also been expanding its international footprint.

In February 2025, the company made a ₹15.96 crore minority investment in Vantage Robotics, a US-based compact UAV company. Later that year, it established First Forge Technology Inc. through a joint venture with Maryland-based First Breach Inc.

The company has also explored technology cooperation in Japan. In April 2026, ideaForge signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Digital Media Professionals Inc. (DMP) to explore the integration of DMP's Di1 edge-AI chip into its UAV platforms, with DMP serving as its Japanese partner.

The move reflects a broader industry trend toward bringing artificial intelligence and edge computing directly into unmanned platforms.

Certifications and Global Recognition

Regulatory and military certifications have become an important part of ideaForge's growth.

The SWITCH UAS received Type Certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation under India's Drone Rules, 2021, in the small category.

The SWITCH MINI received its military-use certification from DGQA, while the Q6 V2 and SWITCH were assigned NATO Stock Numbers in September 2025.

Such certifications and designations can help establish confidence in the company's platforms and support their integration into defence and government procurement systems.

The Road Ahead

The global demand for unmanned systems is increasing as militaries and governments seek technologies that can provide persistent surveillance, intelligence and situational awareness while reducing risks to personnel.

For ideaForge, the opportunity extends across several areas: tactical UAVs, hybrid VTOL systems, artificial intelligence, autonomous navigation, border surveillance, disaster management, mapping and international markets.

Its journey from an IIT Bombay-incubated startup to a publicly listed aerospace and defence company reflects the broader development of India's indigenous drone industry.

As India continues to emphasise domestic defence manufacturing and advanced technologies, companies such as ideaForge are likely to play an increasingly important role in building the country's unmanned aerial capabilities.