India’s Air Force tests homegrown drones at Pokhran, unveiling new UAS roadmap

The Indian Air Force’s Dronathon is currently underway at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer, where domestic companies are field-testing a range of unmanned aerial systems, including surveillance platforms, autonomous swarms, electronic-warfare kits and counter-drone tools. Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit opened the event and simultaneously released the IAF’s UAS Roadmap, outlining future capability priorities for industry and research partners.

Unlike previous years, the trials are designed to gauge operational effectiveness under contested, high-stress environments. Among the highlights is the indigenously built Vayu UTtaM traffic-management system, which can monitor both military and civilian drones in real time and has potential civilian air-space applications. The ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, the Integrated Defence Staff, the Army and the Border Security Force. The Army’s own recent Surya Spiti Challenge in Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti valley similarly tested drones in extreme altitude and cold, underscoring a coordinated push across India’s armed forces toward self-reliant unmanned capabilities.