What are solar-powered spy drones? Inside India’s move to next-gen border surveillance

The drone provides a strategic vantage point across varied terrain, from the Himalayas to the deserts of Rajasthan, while lowering detection risks through quiet electric propulsion and a low thermal signature.

• Indian Army orders Rs 168 crore solar-powered surveillance drone from NRT
• MAPSS drone enables round-the-clock border monitoring with solar energy
• MAPSS offers long-endurance ISR, ELINT, and comms relay for varied terrains

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The Indian Army's latest Rs 168 crore order for a solar-powered unmanned aerial system under the Defence Ministry's iDEX framework has put the spotlight on a new generation of surveillance platforms. The contract, awarded to Bengaluru-based startup NewSpace Research & Technologies (NRT), centres on its Medium Altitude Persistent Surveillance System (MAPSS), a development that signals a shift in how the Army plans to monitor India's vast borders, The Print reported.

What are solar-powered spy drones?

Solar-powered surveillance drones are unmanned aircraft designed to stay airborne for extended periods by harvesting energy from the sun through onboard solar panels. Unlike battery-powered or tethered drones that need frequent recharging or ground support, these platforms are built for persistence, allowing continuous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) with minimal logistical demands, The Print noted.

With MAPSS, the Indian armed forces will, for the first time, induct a fully electric, solar-powered surveillance UAV, moving beyond the battery-powered and tethered systems currently in service, The Print said. The drone has been designed for long-endurance missions, enabling round-the-clock monitoring without repeated landings or refuelling.

The order has its roots in the Ministry of Defence's Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) programme and highlights the growing role of Indian startups in meeting next-generation operational requirements through indigenous research and development, The Print reported. NRT was founded by Indian Air Force veteran Sameer Joshi along with co-founders Julius Amrit and Dilip Chabria.

"This validates years of focused R&D at NRT, building cutting-edge capabilities that rival global standards for next generation warfare applications," Joshi, NRT's chief executive officer, told The Print.

What exactly is MAPSS?

MAPSS is derived from NRT's solar-powered High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) programme, which has recorded multiple milestones under a spiral development model, The Print previously reported. Supported by iDEX grants, the company's solar UAV prototypes have achieved national endurance records, including flights lasting over 27 hours at altitudes above 26,000 feet and another exceeding 24 hours in demanding conditions.

Tests conducted at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga showed reliable solar energy harvesting even during low-sunlight days, underlining the viability of such platforms for sustained operations, The Print said.

Defence establishment sources told The Print that MAPSS was adapted for medium-altitude missions after operational capability demonstrations in high-altitude areas with the Indian Army. The system is designed to deliver long-endurance ISR, electronic intelligence (ELINT) and communications relay support.

Sources cited by The Print said the drone provides a strategic vantage point across varied terrain, from the Himalayas to the deserts of Rajasthan, while lowering detection risks through quiet electric propulsion and a low thermal signature.

MAPSS will feature lightweight construction, solar recharging for extended endurance and modular payloads with advanced mission autonomy, enabling operations even in GNSS-denied environments, The Print noted. By prioritising persistence, the platform reduces logistical strain in remote areas and allows continuous overwatch for border patrols, artillery spotting and communication network extension.

What are advantages for the Indian Army?

Officials cited by The Print said these advantages were key to the Army's decision to opt for a solar-powered UAV. MAPSS is also expected to complement existing medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) platforms by offering networked ISR capabilities at forward formations.

The procurement marks a significant success for iDEX, which was launched in 2018 to bridge the gap between innovators and the armed forces, The Print reported. Incubated under the programme from its early days, NRT has previously secured contracts for swarm drones, tethered surveillance systems and high-altitude platform development.

These include the delivery of 100 heterogeneous swarm drones to the Indian Army in 2023 under a fast-track procurement route, making India one of the first countries to operationalise high-density drone swarms, The Print added.