Aero India: Hubballi startup unveils ‘chakra trap’ to capture unauthorised drones

Hubballi-based startup Astr Defence at Aero India in Bengaluru

A Hubballi-based startup, Astr Defence, on Monday unveiled ‘Chakra trap’, a handheld hard-kill counter-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system, at Aero India in Bengaluru.

It is designed to neutralise hostile drones by physically capturing and disabling them. Astr Defence CEO Ankush Koravi told Moneycontrol that the system has a grenade-based projectile that deploys a high-tensile net to entangle drone propellers.

The Counter-UAV ammunition is fired from a lightweight, ergonomic launcher equipped with an artificial intelligence (AI)-based fire control system and a Smart Sight for detection, tracking, and precision targeting.

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Koravi claimed this is the first-ever implementation of such technology, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) set to deploy it against enemy drones. “Chakra trap provides a reliable, non-electronic solution to neutralize all UAV types—including autonomous, remote-controlled, and wired drones—especially where soft-kill systems fail,” he said.

He added that it empowers soldiers with unit-level Counter-UAV capabilities and has an operational range of up to 500 metres, exceeding the global standard of 150-200 metres.

“The hard-kill precision neutralises drones using grenade-based projectiles, effectively addressing the limitations of soft-kill technologies, which struggle against electronically hardened and wired drones in modern conflicts,” he explained.

The system captures drones without collateral damage and can function as a standalone solution.

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Traditionally, drones have been countered using jammers—a method known as ‘soft kill.’ However, modern anti-jamming and wired UAVs have made jammers less effective, leading to the development of hard-kill UAV technology as an alternative.

“Chakra Trap, containing gunpowder and a strong tether, is launched upon detecting a drone. It rapidly expands into an 8-square-meter trap, capturing the target” he said.

Koravi said that the system has undergone successful testing and will soon be tested in extreme environments like Siachen. “The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to integrate it by June-July and has already funded the project,” he said.

“With a 500-meter range, the Chakra trap neutralises RF (Radio Frequency) and wired drones using AI-powered precision targeting. The system automates launch direction and timing, requiring only a trigger press from the operator” he adds.

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