Indian drone maker ideaForge wins US school security contract

The company said its UAVs were shortlisted following a demonstration, after which the district moved ahead with the procurement

• ideaForge to supply autonomous drones for Texas school security
• Drones offer real-time monitoring and faster threat response
• SWITCH and Q6 V3 UAVs provide long flight times and live feeds

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In a first for an Indian drone manufacturer, ideaForge Technology has secured an order to deploy its unmanned aerial systems for school security in the United States, marking its entry into the country’s public safety ecosystem.

The Mumbai-based company has received a purchase order from the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) Police Department in Texas to supply integrated autonomous drones for aerial monitoring across 20–25 schools. The company said its UAVs were shortlisted following a demonstration, after which the district moved ahead with the procurement.

Under the mandate, ideaForge will deploy its NDAA-compliant SWITCH and Q6 V3 platforms to enhance surveillance and monitoring of school campuses. The systems are designed to provide real-time situational awareness, enabling authorities to respond more swiftly to potential threats, suspicious activity and unauthorised intrusions.

The development comes at a time when public institutions in the US, particularly schools, are increasingly adopting advanced technologies to strengthen security infrastructure and improve response times. Officials said the drones would offer a wider aerial perspective, allowing campus security teams to assess risks more efficiently.

The Lamar CISD Police Department is also exploring the use of these platforms in coordination with city police for search and rescue operations and broader surveillance missions when required.

The SWITCH UAV is built for long-endurance operations, offering up to 120 minutes of flight time and a range of 15 kilometres, along with features such as real-time target tracking and autonomous mission workflows. Meanwhile, the Q6 V3 drone is equipped with dual electro-optical and infrared payloads, including thermal imaging and a high-definition zoom camera, enabling round-the-clock monitoring. It can operate for up to 50 minutes per flight.

Both platforms are integrated with ideaForge’s BlueFire Live system, which streams live aerial feeds to command centres to support coordinated on-ground action.

Ankit Mehta, CEO and co-founder of ideaForge, said the deployment highlights the growing role of AI-enabled unmanned systems in strengthening public safety and enabling faster, data-driven decision-making.