DRDO Delegation Impressed by Eurodrone’s 2,300kg Payload and All-Weather Operations During Munich Factory Briefing

A high-level delegation from India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has completed a detailed inspection of the Eurodrone platform at an Airbus facility near Munich.

The visit marks a significant step in evaluating advanced unmanned aerial systems to meet India's military requirements. Officials were reportedly impressed by the drone's substantial payload capacity and its ability to operate in challenging weather conditions.

The briefing comes as India’s armed forces—the Army, Navy, and Air Force—have a combined requirement for 97 Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drones.

As an official observer in the Eurodrone program, India is closely monitoring the drone's development to inform its own procurement and indigenous manufacturing strategies.

The visit, part of a Programme Working Group meeting in June 2025, allowed DRDO to gain firsthand knowledge of the aircraft's cutting-edge technologies.

A team of experts, led by specialists from DRDO's Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), received a comprehensive presentation on the Eurodrone’s technical and operational features.

Developed jointly by Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, the Eurodrone is engineered for high-level Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions.

Its twin-turboprop design, powered by General Electric Catalyst engines, enables it to carry a massive 2,300 kg payload, a capability that drew significant interest from the Indian delegation.

The drone's advanced systems are designed for versatility in modern warfare.

Key features highlighted during the visit included its state-of-the-art sensor suite, which accommodates Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) systems, and signals intelligence (SIGINT) payloads.

Furthermore, its capacity to carry precision-guided munitions, its secure data networks, and its suitability for operations in non-segregated airspace make it a formidable platform.

The ability to operate reliably in adverse weather is particularly relevant for India's surveillance needs in high-altitude areas like the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and for maritime reconnaissance in the Indo-Pacific.

India's formal entry into the Eurodrone program as an observer was finalised on January 21, 2025, following a request submitted in August 2024.

The move, managed by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), grants India and fellow observer Japan access to technical progress reports and operational data.

This insight is expected to be invaluable for India’s domestic drone projects, including the Tapas-BH-201 and the upcoming Archer-NG, by providing a benchmark for advanced design and system integration.

However, despite the promising technology, the Eurodrone program has faced its own set of challenges. Initiated in 2015, the project has experienced delays, with its first prototype flight now tentatively scheduled for mid-2027.

Rising development costs and the financial contributions required for observer status are additional factors that India will need to consider.

The country’s military drone market, valued at approximately $1.5 billion in 2024, is projected to expand significantly, making the decision on whether to procure foreign systems or focus on domestic production a critical one for India's future defence capabilities.

 

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[Mc Addy]

Yes, the combined Europen tech is better as it counters China anytime , France and Israel both have helped China develop its weapons so very porous.

 

[Hawkeye]

Good, why not get EJ200 engine ToT also? We can cancel MRFA and start making Tejas Mk2.

 

[Flanker]

Cancel MQ-9B deal and fully invest in Eurodrone program.

 

[Army kid]

Good, why not get EJ200 engine ToT also? We can cancel MRFA and start making Tejas Mk2.

EJ200 was rejected by DRDO. This was based on too high a cost. Not everyone gives India weapons at amazing prices like France does, after all.

 

[Army kid]

Cancel MQ-9B deal and fully invest in Eurodrone program.

This is in fact too expensive a drone, sir. One of its main constituents, France, itself is saying that the project has ballooned to unacceptable levels and is becoming too expensive as it is trying to do everything with a single platform.

 

[Flanker]

This is in fact too expensive a drone, sir. One of its main constituents, France, itself is saying that the project has ballooned to unacceptable levels and is becoming too expensive as it is trying to do everything with a single platform.

MQ-9s are garbage anyway. Houthis are shooting them down with sticks and stones. It's better to bet on something than nothing.

 

[Preet]

All the work on missiles, air defence, fighter jets, and yet we can't make MALE and HALE category drones. What happened to Archer, by the way? Wasn't it supposed to fly at Aero India itself?

 

[Chinese eater]

India needs its own indigenous manufacturing ability for attack drones. This is a quick consumable.

 

[ramdas]

Private sector should be involved rather than public companies. It’s just easy money for these PSU without any accountability and result oriented policies. If one project fails invent a new one and it becomes a white elephant.

 

[Imaxxx]

Engines, engines, engines. That's what we need first. We don't make our own engines for anything - from ships to planes all critical equipment engines are imported.

 

[Kira]

MQ-9s are garbage anyway. Houthis are shooting them down with sticks and stones. It's better to bet on something than nothing.

These drones are not supposed to operate in contested airspace; they are used for sophisticated surveillance and patrolling inside a country's borders and over international waters. They are irreplaceable in surveillance roles, especially as they couple with reducing the role and fatigue for big spy birds like the P-8I.

Any flying objects, like helicopters or drones, would always be vulnerable to enemy air defences. The point is to perform SEAD missions first, then let vulnerable aircraft conduct operations or restrict any operations to sophisticated 4th or 5th Gen fighters.

 

[Pankajrai]

No need to waste the huge money in another drone like US MQ 9 Reaper .
Instead invest the money in developing indigenous drone manufacturing hub. Better to give subsidy to private players so that indigenous defence systems could flourish. These costly drones are worthless in contested environment. The era of slow moving Male class drones are over. Fast moving Kamikaze drones are the better option in a battlefield.

 

[FROST]

Description is OK and DRDO's inspection too. Question is whether products supplied would match the description. Money should be spent only after checking each and every unit though may not be feasible in international contacts

 

[Sandeep]

This entire program is very expensive and so far they have spent about $8.5 billion and they are still developing it. The final unit cost will cost around $115 million and it will have a limited capability to carry weapons.

Compared to that it’s much better to just buy the MQ9 repeat drone which is more advanced and capable will only around $35 million per drone.

India is now on the verge of developing its own armed drone like the Archer NG which can carry out ISTAR missions and EW while being armed with a good payload capability. We are also developing the stealth UCAV Ghatak armed drone which is the main drone that will allow us to hit targets deep in enemy territory.

 

[Rajesh]

Join the program or even invest in technology and use it in the Tata-developing GROB 180 platform with two turboprop engines, which will take us to HALE category drones. Meanwhile, move on with the recent proposal from Bharat Forge about the Aarok drone if Bharat Forge can become more than just an assembler or manufacturing partner in that program, which will cover the MALE category, followed by TAPAS and Rustom. The American deal is costly, with little to no TOT, nor any importance in our region and territories, and let's not forget that we are spending or wasting that much money with a partner which is more than a backstabbing one.

 

[Priyanshu]

EJ200 was rejected by DRDO. This was based on too high a cost. Not everyone gives India weapons at amazing prices like France does, after all.

Ej200 wasn't rejected by DRDO, IAF wanted the ej200. it was infact much better than ge-414, eurojet offered ej230( a thrust vectoring variant of ej200) it would have produced 102kn of wet thrust, it was only the corruption that led to indian government choosing ge-414 engine and ge-414 engine isn't flat rated this means it loses upto 10 percent of thrust in indian environment, and if you want proof of corruption of UPA government go search that how the 126 Fighter jet MMRCA 10 billion dollars deal(this was the money it would have took to buy any fighter jet in the deal) went to 30 billion dollars in 2 years after choosing rafale