India signs Rs 168 crore contract for first solar-powered surveillance drone on January 11, 2026

Key facts

• The Indian Army has signed a Rs 168 crore deal with a Bengaluru-based startup for solar-powered spy drones.
• The system, called the Medium Altitude Persistent Surveillance System (MAPSS), has been developed by Bengaluru-based NewSpace Research & Technologies under the Defence Ministry’s iDEX innovation programme.
• MAPSS changes that by using solar energy to keep flying for extended periods, making it useful for watching long stretches of the border without interruption.
• Because it runs on electric power, it is quieter and produces less heat, making it harder to detect.
• The company has already tested similar platforms that stayed in the air for more than 24 hours at heights above 26,000 feet.
• Those trials were carried out at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga.
• Since Operation Sindoor, the force has added a range of unmanned systems, including loitering munitions and surveillance drones, in deals worth over Rs 5,000 crore.