Jaisalmer: The Indian Air Force’s inaugural ‘IAF Dronathon 2026’ concluded successfully at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer Thursday.The event was held with the objective of strengthening India’s defence technology ecosystem and enhancing operational preparedness for future warfare.Indian defence technology company IG Defence demonstrated its indigenous T-SHUL BEAM counter-UAS system for the first time. The man-portable, directional system is designed to disable small UAVs, FPV drones and other unmanned platforms. Its multi-band radio-frequency architecture can interfere with command-and-control, telemetry, video transmission and GNSS signals, according to the company.More than 20 Indian start-ups, MSMEs, established defence manufacturers and academic innovators participated in the event, showcasing unmanned aerial systems, autonomous and swarm technologies, electronic warfare systems and counter-unmanned aircraft systems under realistic operational conditions.For the first time in the desert terrain, drones and anti-drone systems were subjected to live trials in conditions involving intense heat, blowing sand and strong winds. Instead of being tested only in air-conditioned laboratories or controlled environments, the systems were assessed in conditions designed to replicate the challenges of an actual battlefield.On the opening day, IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit released the ‘IAF UAS Roadmap’, providing direction on the Indian Air Force’s future requirements in the unmanned domain. The roadmap is also expected to provide Indian start-ups, scientists and defence innovators with greater clarity on the technologies and capabilities required by the IAF.Another major highlight of the event was the demonstration of the indigenous ‘Vayu UTtaM’ multi-mode Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) system. During live trials at Pokhran, the system demonstrated its ability to simultaneously detect and track military as well as civilian drones. The technology is aimed at helping manage increasingly congested airspace and identify unauthorised or suspicious unmanned aerial activity.The event also featured demonstrations of autonomous operations, drone swarm technologies, electronic warfare and CUAS capabilities. Swarm technology involves multiple small drones communicating and operating collectively, potentially enabling coordinated missions involving multiple targets.Indian defence technology company IG Defence also demonstrated its indigenous T-SHUL BEAM counter-UAS system. The man-portable, directional system is designed for soft-kill engagement of small UAVs, FPV drones and other unmanned platforms.According to the company, its multi-band radio-frequency architecture is designed to interfere with critical links such as command-and-control, telemetry, video transmission and GNSS signals.The Dronathon focused on moving “from technology demonstration to operational effect”, with systems being assessed for reliability, effectiveness and adaptability in demanding and contested environments.The live demonstrations at Pokhran underlined the growing emphasis on indigenous unmanned and counter-drone technologies under Mission Atmanirbhar Bharat, highlighting the efforts of Indian industry and innovators to develop systems suited to future operational requirements.
