Bengaluru's Kaala Bhairav combat AI drone promises 30-hr range, swarm strike power and strategic autonomy at a fraction of Predator's price

Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace ( FWDA) has announced the readiness of India’s first AI-powered Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) combat drone. The launch was held in Bengaluru on 22 August 2025, with the aircraft named Kaala Bhairav after the guardian deity associated with time. A video of the successful test flight was screened at the event.

The company revealed it has secured a $25 million export order from a South Asian country, part of a $30 million strategic deal. According to FWDA, the order underlines international trust in Indian-made autonomous aircraft and demonstrates India’s emergence as a credible supplier of advanced defence systems.

Strategic autonomy at lower cost
Speaking at the launch, Suhas Tejaskanda, Founder and CEO of FWDA, said, “For decades, India has relied on foreign systems like Predator and Israeli Searcher models, but at a high strategic cost, from embedded kill-switch vulnerabilities to critical flight data routed through external servers. The global geopolitical landscape is shifting rapidly. India’s strategic relations with the U.S. have taken a new turn this year, given that the much-touted defence deal signed last year should be revisited.”

He added, “With tightening U.S. defence regulations and shifting global policies, India cannot afford digital dependency during wartime. Dependence on foreign systems could limit India’s strategic autonomy, as sensitive operational data may be routed through external networks and remain accessible to overseas agencies.”

Kaala Bhairav: Performance and features
The Kaala Bhairav, officially called the E2A2 (Economic and Efficient Autonomous Aircraft), has been designed and built in India. Its twin-boom configuration carries a 91 kg payload, including electro-optical sensors, guided rockets and fuel.

Key specifications include:

• Endurance of up to 30 hours
• Range of 3000 km with satellite communication
• Ceiling of 20,000 feet
• Cruise speeds between 42 m/s and 52 m/s
• Capability for short take-off and landing

The platform uses AI for adaptive targeting, autonomous flight pathing and live combat decision-making.

Swarm warfare and battlefield economics
Ten Kaala Bhairavs can be deployed for the cost of one U.S.-made Predator MQ-9 Reaper. Losing a Predator can cost India up to Rs 1000 crore, while the same sum could procure an entire fleet of Kaala Bhairavs.

FWDA says this design philosophy ensures resilience in combat. If one aircraft is lost, mission capability is not crippled. The platform also enables swarm operations, allowing multiple drones to coordinate precision strikes and overwhelm enemy air defence systems.

Indigenous development and secure supply chain
The aircraft is 80 per cent indigenous, with all major technologies developed in-house. This eliminates reliance on foreign suppliers, avoids the risk of hidden kill switches, and secures operational data.

Unlike imported systems, which tie maintenance to overseas manufacturers, Kaala Bhairav is backed by a local maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) ecosystem. This, the company says, reduces costs, shortens turnaround time and ensures uninterrupted access to spare parts.

From importer to exporter
India has long been one of the world’s biggest arms importers. The development of Kaala Bhairav marks a shift towards exporting advanced systems. “Kaala Bhairav stands as the trusted Guardian Beyond Time, an AI-powered sentinel securing nations' skies, inspiring global trust, extending its strategic reach, and redefining the future of autonomous warfare,” said Tejaskanda.

FWDA also announced its Mission 777 plan. The company intends to set up seven global headquarters across seventy-seven countries within the next five years, aiming to strengthen India’s presence in global defence markets and highlight its role in AI-driven warfare.