Summary Points:
- IG Drones, founded by Odisha engineers, developed homegron drones used in India’s anti-terror operation.
- The startup’s VTOL and FPV drones helped neutralize over 600 Pakistani drones.
- With Rs 120 crore in government support, IG Drones is now among India’s fastest-growing defense tech firms.
- Its client base includes the Indian Army, Adani Group, and JSW.
A Startup from the East Steps into National Security
In 2014, a group of students from Odisha’s VSSUT Burla began a satellite project to monitor sediment in the Hirakud Dam. What started as a college experiment would evolve into a defense-tech startup at the heart of a major national military operation.
By 2018, the team had formalized their venture as IG Drones. Today, the company is credited with supplying the Indian military with advanced surveillance drones that played a critical role in Operation Sindoor — India’s covert response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack in May 2025.
A Tactical Asset in the Mountains
Operation Sindoor was launched swiftly following the Pahalgam ambush. The military required eyes in the sky — discreet, mobile, and real-time. IG Drones delivered.
The startup’s FPV (First Person View) and VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) drones were deployed along the western front. These units enabled ground forces to:
- Identify infiltration points
- Map enemy movements in high-altitude zones
- Transmit real-time data during combing operations
Indian forces reportedly neutralized over 600 Pakistani drones in the span of 60 days. Much of the early detection and surveillance credit was traced back to IG Drones’ indigenous technology.
From Drone Lab to Defense Deal
This isn’t the first time IG Drones has made headlines. Prior to Operation Sindoor, the company:
- Built India’s first 5G-enabled drone
- Developed a drone simulator inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Bagged a Rs 120 crore government incentive under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme
Today, IG Drones serves more than 200 clients including state governments, disaster response agencies, and conglomerates such as Adani and JSW. But its recent role in Operation Sindoor marks a turning point — one that places it at the center of India’s defense-tech narrative.
A Case Study in Strategic Self-Reliance
As India accelerates its push for Atmanirbhar Bharat in defense, the IG Drones story offers more than just technological success. It reflects a deeper shift — from foreign dependency to local innovation.
The company’s founders, once operating from a hostel dorm, are now engineering systems for military-grade missions. Their work suggests what’s possible when the right mix of policy support, university R&D, and startup ambition come together.
At a time when border skirmishes demand faster, tech-led responses, IG Drones has quietly become a symbol of how small startups can help defend a large democracy.
