NEW DELHI — March 23, 2026 : The Indian Air Force (IAF) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for the procurement of a next-generation Micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system intended for high-altitude surveillance and reconnaissance operations by its Garud Special Forces unit.
The requirement outlines a compact, man-portable UAV system designed to support special operations in extreme terrain, particularly at altitudes exceeding 16,000 feet. The initiative forms part of the IAF’s broader effort to enhance situational awareness, targeting capability, and operational flexibility in mountainous frontier regions.
System Configuration and Portability Requirements
According to the RFI, the complete Micro UAV system must be fully man-portable and optimized for rapid deployment in field conditions. The total system weight is specified at approximately 12 kg (±20 percent), with an overall load not exceeding 25 kg (±20 percent). The entire system must be packed into two all-weather tactical backpacks.
Each system is required to include two aerial vehicles, rechargeable spare battery packs, one man-pack ground control system, two remote video terminals with control functionality, two electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) stabilized gimbal payloads, one power supply and universal charging system, two RF data link sets, two carry backpacks, and a field repair kit.
The UAV must support vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) from confined or unprepared terrain, enabling deployment in areas where conventional launch and recovery options are not available. Assembly and disassembly time is limited to 15 minutes, with system boot-up required within 20 seconds. A default climb profile to 30 meters is specified to ensure obstacle clearance during launch.
High-Altitude Performance and Environmental Standards
The UAV system is required to operate at launch altitudes up to 16,400 feet above mean sea level and achieve at least 1,700 feet above ground level during flight.
Performance specifications include a mission radius of not less than 15 kilometers under line-of-sight conditions and a minimum flight endurance of 60 minutes. The system must maintain stable operation in wind speeds up to 30 km/h during vertical take-off and landing and up to 50 km/h during flight.
Environmental resilience requirements include compliance with IP56 standards for dust and drizzle resistance. The UAV must operate within a temperature range of minus 20°C to plus 50°C and be capable of storage between minus 30°C and plus 55°C, with relative humidity tolerance up to 90 percent at 30°C. Acoustic signature is limited to below 40 dB(A) at 300 meters above ground level.
The system must meet military standards including MIL-STD-461 and MIL-STD-810 for electromagnetic compatibility, environmental durability, and operational stress.
Sensor Payload and Detection Capabilities
The UAV is required to carry a compact, stabilized EO/IR gimbal payload for day and night operations. The day camera must provide full HD resolution (minimum 1920 × 1080), with continuous optical zoom of at least 30x, a wide field of view of at least 28 degrees, and a narrow field of view not exceeding 2 degrees.
The system must be capable of identifying human targets at distances up to 1,000 meters during daylight and 800 meters at night. Vehicle targets must be identifiable at up to 1,500 meters during daylight and 1,200 meters at night.
The infrared sensor must offer a minimum resolution of 640 × 480 pixels, with at least 4x optical zoom to support night-time surveillance.
Onboard Processing and Software Integration
The RFI specifies onboard GPU-based processing capabilities to enable real-time video analytics, including automated target tracking, moving target indication, and autonomous engagement modes.
The system must support simultaneous streaming of EO and IR feeds and provide onboard video recording capacity of up to eight hours. Software integration requirements include compatibility with defense geospatial systems, including WGS-84 datum and Indian Military Grid Reference formats.
The UAV must feature modular architecture, built-in test equipment, and software upgradability in accordance with Government of India IT policies.
Communication and Electronic Warfare Resilience
The UAV system must incorporate secure, encrypted, military-grade RF data links capable of operating in GPS-denied and electronically contested environments. The communication system must be resistant to jamming and support seamless control transfer between ground control stations and remote video terminals.
Ground control systems and terminals must be ruggedized and capable of sustained field operations, with sufficient battery endurance to support extended missions.
Lifecycle, Training, and Support Requirements
The UAV platform must have an operational life of at least seven years or 500 landings, whichever occurs earlier, with a system shelf life of 10 years. Ground control systems, payloads, and communication equipment are also required to meet a minimum operational life of seven years.
Battery systems must support at least two years of service or 1,000 recharge cycles.
The procurement includes a training requirement for 30 operator personnel and 30 maintenance personnel, to be conducted in two batches over two weeks each. Training must include sufficient flight instruction to qualify personnel to train others.
Procurement Framework and Timeline
The RFI is issued under the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, with procurement categorized under “Buy (Indian)” and requiring a minimum of 60 percent indigenous content.
Responses are invited from original equipment manufacturers and authorized representatives, with submissions due by April 20, 2026, to the Directorate of Operations (Offensive)/Garud at Air Headquarters.
The RFI does not constitute a financial commitment, and the Ministry of Defence retains the right to amend or withdraw the requirement. Shortlisted vendors will be invited for subsequent stages, including request for proposal issuance and “No Cost No Commitment” field trials in high-altitude and extreme-weather conditions.
Operational Context
The requirement reflects the Indian Air Force’s ongoing effort to expand unmanned capabilities tailored to special operations forces operating in high-altitude regions such as the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Line of Control (LoC).
By deploying compact, intelligent UAV systems, the IAF aims to enhance reconnaissance reach, improve targeting precision, and reduce operational risk for personnel operating in challenging terrain.
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