Made in India AI-powered combat drone Kaal Bhairav bags silver medal at ARCA international innovation in Croatia
India’s defense tech just leveled up spectacularly with the Kaala Bhairav, an AI-powered combat drone that not only packs a futuristic punch but also bagged a silver medal at Croatia’s prestigious ARCA international innovation competition. Move over, foreign UAV giants — this homegrown marvel is flying high with a 3,000 km operational range and 30 hours of non-stop endurance, proving that cutting-edge tech and strategic autonomy can emerge from Bengaluru’s innovation corridors. The Kaala Bhairav isn’t just an expensive toy; it’s a game-changing, swarm-capable, and cost-effective platform that’s rewriting battlefield economics.
Designed and developed entirely in India by Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace (FWDA), Kaala Bhairav is the country’s first AI-powered Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) autonomous attack UAV. It boasts advanced AI for adaptive targeting and autonomous decision-making, supports precision multi-angle strikes, and operates with a payload capacity of 91 kg. Its $11.5 million price tag per unit is roughly one-tenth of comparable U.S. systems, signaling a major stride for India’s self-reliance mission under Atmanirbhar Bharat. The silver medal win at ARCA 2025 underscores the drone's technological prowess and India’s growing influence in the global defense innovation arena.
