- Defence Acquisition Council has cleared India's naval shipborne drone programme
- Indian drones are targeted to be at least 60% indigenous
- US is developing AI-piloted naval drones that take off without a runway
India is moving ahead with a naval drone programme after clearance from the Defence Acquisition Council. The Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial System is meant to sharpen intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for the navy.
The Indian drones are aimed at having at least 60% indigenous content. They must also cope with the harsh conditions of the sea, which pose operational challenges.
Meanwhile, the United States is developing advanced AI-piloted drones for naval warfare. These aircraft do not need a runway to operate.
