A fast-rising deep-tech startup from Gujarat, InsideFPV, has entered India’s defence manufacturing spotlight after delivering “hundreds” of kamikaze (loitering munition) drones to the Indian Army under a ₹10 crore emergency procurement contract from the Ministry of Defence.
The Surat-based company, founded in 2020, is led by CEO Arth Chowdhary along with co-founders Deyvant Bhardwaj and Oshi Kumari. The startup was born in the backdrop of rising security challenges, with its founders identifying a critical gap in India’s access to reliable, indigenous combat-ready drone systems.
Initially focused on high-performance First Person View (FPV) drones popular in racing and hobbyist circuits, InsideFPV quickly pivoted toward defence applications. It built capabilities in designing unmanned aerial systems that can operate in GPS-denied environments—an essential requirement in modern warfare scenarios marked by signal jamming and electronic disruption.
Over time, the company expanded from prototyping to full-stack development of integrated drone systems. Its portfolio now includes kamikaze drones designed for precision strikes, along with surveillance and tactical UAV platforms. These systems are engineered for extreme operating conditions, including high-altitude deployments and sub-zero temperatures as low as -35°C.
According to the company, the drones supplied to the Army are equipped with waypoint-based autonomous navigation, real-time FPV control, multi-layered safety mechanisms, and controlled detonation triggers, making them suitable for targeted combat operations.
The contract, signed in December last year, was executed within a compressed two-month timeline under the emergency procurement route. The drones were delivered to the Army’s Northern Command, though the exact number remains undisclosed due to operational sensitivity.
InsideFPV has also attracted early-stage investor interest, raising capital from domestic venture networks as it scales its R&D and manufacturing capabilities. Its rapid execution of the Army order is being seen as a validation of both its technology and production readiness.
Industry observers view the company’s rise as part of a broader shift in India’s defence ecosystem. With increasing emphasis on indigenisation, the government is prioritising domestic startups and MSMEs capable of delivering advanced, scalable defence technologies within tight timelines.
From its origins in the niche FPV drone community to becoming a supplier of combat-ready unmanned systems, InsideFPV represents a new generation of Indian defence startups—lean, specialised, and aligned with the country’s push for self-reliance in critical military technologies.
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