Bengaluru-based Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace (FWDA) has taken a major step toward strengthening India’s indigenous defence technology capabilities with the launch of its Centre for Autonomous Defence Research in the city.
The newly inaugurated 25,000 sq ft facility is designed as a dedicated research and rapid prototyping hub focused on next-generation autonomous and unmanned defence systems. Unlike a conventional manufacturing unit, the centre will concentrate exclusively on research, design, system integration, internal testing, and accelerated technology validation.
With this move, FWDA aims to contribute meaningfully to India’s transition from being largely a defence manufacturing ecosystem to becoming a source nation for high-end autonomous defence technologies.
The centre will anchor several of the company’s advanced programmes, including the Kaalabhairav Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), AI-enabled fighter-jet technologies, and autonomous air-defence and interceptor systems. By integrating expertise across advanced aerostructures, composites, propulsion integration, autonomy and AI software, and rapid prototyping, the facility is expected to significantly shorten design-to-demonstrator timelines.
Speaking about the vision behind the initiative, Suhas Tejaskanda, Founder and CEO of Flying Wedge Defence, said the goal is to position India firmly on the global map of critical autonomous defence technologies, a space currently dominated by only a handful of countries. He emphasised the company’s focus on building deep indigenous capabilities in autonomous combat aviation and networked air-defence systems, aligning with India’s long-term self-reliance and export ambitions.
The company also indicated that the centre could serve as a collaborative platform for the Indian Armed Forces, strategic partners, and global defence ecosystems working on next-generation autonomous systems.
Founded in 2022 by Suhas Tejaskanda, Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace operates from Bengaluru with a mission centred around “Saving Jawans” by reducing dependence on expensive air-defence imports and strengthening India’s aerospace self-reliance.
FWDA became the first Indian company to secure DGCA type certification for an indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It later unveiled India’s first unmanned bomber aircraft, the FWD-200B, which completed its maiden flight on 3 September 2024.
On 22 August 2025, the company announced the readiness of the Kaala Bhairava E2A2 programme, described as India’s first AI-powered Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Autonomous Combat Aircraft. Designed and developed entirely in India, the platform offers up to 30 hours of endurance and a 3,000 km range. It is engineered for AI-driven precision strikes, swarm operations, and real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
Built with zero foreign dependency, the system ensures complete data sovereignty and eliminates external kill-switch risks. The company positions it as a cost-effective alternative to Predator-class UAVs.
Beyond defence, FWDA has also developed patented AI-ML embedded drones for agriculture and civilian applications, signalling its broader push into dual-use innovation.
With the launch of the Centre for Autonomous Defence Research, Flying Wedge Defence is reinforcing its ambition to help position India as a global hub for next-generation autonomous defence technologies.
-By Shivani Solanki
