Indian Army signs a $20 million contract with ideaForge to procure SWITCH UAV

MUMBAI, India, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Indian Army has signed an approximately $20 million contract for undisclosed quantities of a high-altitude variant of ideaForge's SWITCH UAV which will be delivered over a period of 1 year. ideaForge has been awarded this contract after it emerged as the only vendor that qualified the operational requirements in an evaluation done in real-world conditions, for a fast-track procurement. The contract marks a strategic shift in the Indian defence procurement process as the Indian Army goes on an aggressive modernization drive. It has also cemented ideaForge's position as India's largest manufacturer of drones for defence, homeland security and industrial applications.

SWITCH UAV is a first of its kind VTOL and fixed wing hybrid Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. SWITCH features advanced flight time, higher safety and simple operation with additional fail-safe redundancies.

ideaForge’s drones are regularly used by Defence and Paramilitary forces for carrying out security and surveillance missions. ideaForge’s drones are man-portable, quick to deploy and offer higher range and endurance. Their capability to perform flawlessly in adverse weather and terrain and swappable payload feature make them a game-changer in anti-terror operations. These drones have supported security forces by providing with real-time intelligence during difficult hours. ideaForge’s fully autonomous and rugged drones make them a great choice for security forces for planning and implementing anti-terror missions. They can be operated from a remote location and play a vital role in undertaking risky operations.

It is used for long duration operations, long endurance surveillance and security, inspection and photogrammetry.

Technical Specifications

Endurance: > 120 minutes Range (LoS): 15 km Weight: < 6.5 kg Wind Resistance: Up to 10.8 knots or 20 km/h Vehicle Size: ~ 2.6 m x 1.8 m Ingress Protection: IP53 Rated for Dust & Water Resistance Max Launch Altitude: 4000 m AMSL Max Operating Altitude: 1000 m AGL