• Flying Wedge Defence secures India’s first global export order for 35 made in India autonomous aircrafts, FWD 100 ISR from a Sub-Saharan country 

• The order elevates India among the elite league of global defence exporters, alongside the USA, China, Turkey, Iran and Israel 

• FWD 100 ISR features an advance optical payload for precise surveillance and intelligence gathering with 24-hour endurance and impressive specifications 

• Nations Eagle Eye, upgraded with laser guided weaponry, showcased the advanced unmanned bomber at Aero India Show  

Bengaluru, February 11, 2025: In a groundbreaking leap for India’s defence and aerospace industry, Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace (FWDA), a defence tech company secures India’s first global export order for its FWD 100 ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) autonomous aircraft from a Sub-Saharan nation. This momentous deal is said to place India among the elite league of global defence exporters, alongside the USA, China, Turkey, Iran and Israel. 

The landmark deal was announced today at the prestigious Aero India 2025, Bengaluru, where the company also displayed the upgraded unmanned bomber with laser-graded weaponry and a 24-hour endurance capability, as shown in the image. 

According to the information, the FWD 100 ISR is a sub-variant of the FWD 200B and is said to be the first made in India autonomous aircraft to receive a global order. While the value of the deal remains undisclosed, the agreement includes an initial delivery of 35 autonomous aircrafts. The aircraft is entirely developed and manufactured in India at FWDA’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Electronic City, Bengaluru.    

This achievement not only highlights India’s growing manufacturing capabilities but also underscores its shift from being the world’s largest arms importer from last five years to entering into the top 5 exporter of advanced military technology.   

While speaking on the achievement, Suhas Tejaskanda, Founder and CEO of FWDA, said, “India has long been the world’s largest importer of arms, often paying ten times the cost for military technology from countries like the US and Israel. This export order marks a pivotal turning point in our nation’s history, elevating us into the exclusive league of the world’s top five defence exporters,”    

“This deal is not just an achievement for FWDA but a monumental step for India’s defence ecosystem. It’s a proof that we are shaping the future of global defence,” he further added.   

Setting a new standard in autonomous defence technology, FWD 100 ISR features, Advanced Optical Payload, for precise surveillance and intelligence gathering; impressive Specifications of 6-meter wingspan, 3.8-meter length, and 90 kg maximum takeoff weight; paired with unmatched endurance of 24-hour operational capability, ideal for critical reconnaissance missions.   

About Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace:  

Website: https://fwdefence.com/   

Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace is India’s first autonomous combat aircraft and component manufacturing company based in Bengaluru. Incorporated in the year 2022 by Suhas Tejaskanda, with the core objective to minimize India’s expensive air defence imports from other countries and promote the concept of Make in India, the company aims to make India the global hub of ACA manufacturing and to empower the Indian Defence Air Forces with advance defence capabilities. Along with patented killer drones and bomber unmanned aircraft in the defence sector, the company has also achieved proficiency in AI-ML embedded drones with analytics in the Agricultural sector.    

Adding another feather to its cap, the company has become India’s first firm to secure a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) type certification for indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology.   

Followed by being the first company to unveil India’s first unmanned bomber aircraft which took its first maiden flight on 3rd September 2024. The FWD-200B fulfills India’s long-awaited dream of producing a combat UAV indigenously, following years of unsuccessful attempts by organisations like DRDO.