The Indian Army has received the Advik kamikaze FPV drone developed by insideFPV, which successfully demonstrated its anti-jamming capabilities during high-altitude trials in Ladakh under active electronic warfare conditions.

The Indian Army has received the Advik kamikaze FPV drone developed by insideFPV, which successfully demonstrated its anti-jamming capabilities during high-altitude trials in Ladakh under active electronic warfare conditions.

The Indian Army has received the Advik kamikaze FPV drone developed by insideFPV, which successfully demonstrated its anti-jamming capabilities during high-altitude trials in Ladakh under active electronic warfare conditions.

The Indian Army has received Advik, an indigenous kamikaze FPV drone developed by Gujarat-based defence technology company insideFPV.

insideFPV designs and manufactures kamikaze FPV (First Person View) drones, loitering munitions and interceptor systems for defence applications and export markets. According to the company, the Advik platform represents the company's work towards developing compact, cost-conscious tactical drone systems designed to operate in electronically contested environments.

The company recently showcased the anti-jamming capability of the drone during trials conducted under active electronic warfare at approximately 18,000 feet in Ladakh.

The drone was flown with electronic warfare (EW) systems, such as the Advanced Drone Defence System switched on and maintained its flight and communication link during the trials.

With this, insideFPV has become the first Indian company to trial a kamikaze FPV drone under active electronic warfare at such an altitude.

The trials showed Advik's ability to address one of the biggest problems facing small attack drones on modern battlefields, which is electronic warfare. In the Russia-Ukraine conflict, both sides have lost FPV drones to communication jamming in large numbers. When a jammer disrupts the link between a drone and its operator, the ability to control the drone and complete the mission can be affected.

insideFPV's answer to this problem is a communication link built in-house rather than sourced off the shelf.

The company developed Advik's RF communication switching link using its antenna rack system, combining multiple RF systems with custom-designed hardware for use in contested electromagnetic environments.

The added weight and power consumption were kept low enough to avoid interference with the drone's camera and flight electronics. According to insideFPV, the drone has maintained its control link during the active jamming trials conducted so far.

Keeping the drone light—700 grams— and inexpensive was a deliberate choice. The drone, which is equipped with dual recovery parachute system can be used for defense training, reconnaissance, and rapid response

"Most people assume anti-jamming means a heavier, costlier drone. We wanted the opposite. We have been developing tactical low-cost drones since 2020 when nobody took that seriously. These drones are compact, cheap enough to lose, and we haven't seen a jammer stop it yet," said Deyvant Bhardwaj, CTO, insideFPV.

Ladakh was chosen to test Advik's communication link under jamming and harsh environmental conditions simultaneously.

At approximately 18,000 feet, reduced air density affects aerodynamic performance and propeller efficiency, while freezing temperatures affect battery performance, making high-altitude operations especially challenging for small aerial platforms.

"If it works up there, it works anywhere on our borders," Bhardwaj said.

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