Adani Defence and Aerospace has handed over a second Drishti-10 Starliner surveillance drone to the Indian Navy, significantly enhancing the country’s ability to monitor vital shipping routes and counter-piracy threats.
Following the delivery of the first Drishti-10 earlier this year, the second unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was inducted into naval operations at Porbandar in Gujarat, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The Drishti-10 is a variant of Israel’s Hermes 900 medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV. Manufactured at Adani Defence’s Hyderabad facility, the Drishti-10 Starliner is an advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform with an endurance of 36 hours and a payload capacity of 450 kg.
It is the only all-weather military drone certified under NATO’s STANAG 4671 airworthiness standards, allowing it to operate in both segregated and unsegregated airspace. The platform offers beyond-the-horizon, multi-payload, fully autonomous operations and Satcom-based control, sources added.
Described as a “force multiplier,” the Drishti-10 provides the Indian Navy with enhanced maritime situational awareness, allowing for the surveillance of vast oceanic territories. This integration marks the first-ever deployment of such advanced payloads on a MALE UAV, offering the Navy a strategic edge in maritime monitoring.
Adani Defence had previously supplied the Drishti-10 Starliner to the Indian Army, which is deploying the UAV from its Bhatinda base in Punjab to monitor the western border with Pakistan.
The drone’s performance across operational bases in Porbandar and Bhatinda underscores its reliability and resilience, particularly in challenging environments such as the Himalayas. Capable of operating above 32,000 feet with a substantial payload, the Drishti-10 has demonstrated its capacity to endure and excel under harsh conditions, reinforcing India’s defence innovation and operational strength.
Sources emphasised that the Drishti-10 represents more than a technological milestone—it symbolises a broader vision for India’s defence sector. In under three years, Adani Defence has achieved what traditionally takes five to six years in the industry, delivering MALE UAVs to both the Army and Navy.
During a recent visit to the Porbandar base, Rear Admiral Janak Bevli, VSM, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Air), reviewed operations and met with the Adani Defence team, led by AVM K.V.R. Raju, VM (Retd.), Technical Head of UAVs & Missiles.
The induction of the Drishti-10 Starliner is seen as a pivotal step in India’s drive for self-reliance in defence technology, demonstrating the successful collaboration between Adani Defence and the Indian Navy to safeguard the nation’s maritime interests.
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