Indigenously developed drones handed over to Vice Chief of Army Staff

November 19, 2021:
Marking an momentous day the PM handed over two indigenously developed drones, ‘SWITCH 1.0 UAV’ developed by ideaForge Technologies and ‘MR-20′ developed by Raphe mPhibr Pvt Ltd. to Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Chandi Prasad Mohanty PVSM AVSM SM VSM at the Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.“Humbled to witness this revolutionary moment to represent India’s drone industry which working on developing cutting edge solutions to increase the capabilities of India’s Armed forces using UAV technology, I also appreciate the Government of India and India’s defence agencies’ initiatives to recognise the potential and use drone technology to increase India’s capabilities,” said Smit Shah, Director, Drone Federation of India.

“The SWITCH 1.0 UAV is already in production and is being delivered within the expected timelines. SWITCH 1.0 UAV, with its peerless capabilities of 1.5 hours flight time and 15 kms range at more than 4500 m take-off altitude, beat its international and domestic competitors to qualify for this deal. We feel very proud that our product SWITCH 1.0 UAV which we have been developing over the last few years will be inducted by the Indian Army to make our borders more secure and more importantly save the lives of our soldiers and citizens. This shall reinforce our self-belief and encourage the development of more technologies for India in India.” said Ankit Mehta, CEO, ideaForge.

The SWITCH 1.0 UAV having an endurance of approximately 90 minutes will support the Indian Army’s most demanding surveillance operations under harsh environments and high altitudes for day and night surveillance across India’s borders. The MR-20 hexacopter drones having a capacity to ferry loads of up to 20kg will be used to ferry food, essential items, emergency medical aid, ammunition and weapons to troops deployed at heights in forward areas.

FOREWORD

Dear Readers,

 

Welcome to the latest edition of Aviation World. This is an incredibly significant issue for us, perfectly timed to align with several prominent aviation events unfolding across the globe.

 

Chief among them is the Farnborough International Airshow, taking place from July 20th to 24th, 2026, in Hampshire, United Kingdom. Ranked as one of the world’s premier events for aviation, aerospace, and defense, this year’s airshow arrives at a crucial moment. Against a backdrop of geopolitical turbulence, Farnborough provides an invaluable platform to engage with global leaders and gain firsthand perspectives on the future of the industry. Inside, you will find our comprehensive curtain-raiser report focusing on the show’s core themes, as well as the highly anticipated static and aerobatic aircraft displays.

 

On our front cover, we are proud to feature Capt. Vaibhav Goutham Suresh, Director of the School of Aviation, Logistics and Tourism Management (SALTM) at Galgotias University. In an exclusive interview, Capt. Suresh highlights how SALTM bridges the gap between academia and the runway, delivering a comprehensive curriculum that ensures graduates are industry-ready from day one. Complementing this, our special feature on SALTM dives deeper into how the institution maintains world-class academic standards and a cutting-edge learning environment.

 

We are also privileged to bring you exclusive insights from a stellar lineup of industry trailblazers in this edition, including:

  • Robin Glover-Faure, Chief Customer Officer of Acron Aviation
  • Karim Makhlouf, CCO of Royal Jordanian Airlines
  • Pallavi Joshi & Vimal Priya, the leadership powerhouse behind AirFleet Managers &Aviatrics Global
  • Wg. Cdr. Prem Kumar Garg (Retd.), CEO of IndiaOne Air

Each shares a detailed perspective on driving innovation, navigating current market dynamics, and establishing progressive frontiers within their respective sectors.

 

Beyond these highlights, this issue is packed with curated features and analytical pieces designed to keep you informed and inspired.

 

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Happy Reading!

 

The Editorial Team

 

Aviation World

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