IAF Launches India’s First Helicopter-Dropped Drone Project ‘Vayu Baan’
In March 2026, the Indian Air Force (IAF) initiated ‘Vayu Baan’, a pioneering project to develop India’s first helicopter-launched Unmanned Aerial System(UAS).
In March 2026, the Indian Air Force (IAF) initiated ‘Vayu Baan’, a pioneering project to develop India’s first helicopter-launched Unmanned Aerial System(UAS).
- With the launch of Vayu Baan, India joins an elite group of countries, including the United States of America(USA) and China, reducing its reliance on foreign air-launched drone technologies.
About Project ‘Vayu Baan’:
Implementing Agency: The project is being led by the IAF’s Directorate of Aerospace Design (DAD), which issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) in March 2026 to invite domestic vendors for design and development.
Deployment Mechanism: The small, autonomous drone is designed to be dropped from a moving helicopter mid-flight. After release, it unfolds its wings and activates propulsion.
Stand-off Distance: It allows helicopters to engage enemy targets from a safe distance of over 50 kilometers (km), keeping the aircrew outside the range of enemy Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems (MANPADS).
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