Kawa UAV achieves India's first indigenous jet-powered loitering munition flight

On 11 August 2026, Lucknow-based defence startup Kawa UAV Pvt. Ltd. (operating as HoverIt) successfully conducted the maiden flight of Divyastra Mk3 at a designated drone testing airstrip in Uttar Pradesh. The company describes this as the first-ever flight of a 100% indigenously designed, developed and manufactured jet-powered loitering munition in India. The programme was initiated at the start of 2026, meaning the platform moved from blank-page concept to fully airborne weapon system within seven months. The turbojet engine powering the aircraft was designed and developed by DG Propulsion, a separate Indian propulsion technology company, eliminating reliance on imported jet engines or foreign critical subsystems.

This development matters because it represents a capability transition from propeller-driven loitering munitions to jet-powered platforms — a shift that fundamentally changes the operational envelope of such weapons. Jet propulsion enables significantly higher speed, longer range, greater warhead capacity, and operation at higher altitudes compared to battery or internal combustion engine platforms. India's previous major loitering munition order (840 units worth Rs 1,577 crore, contracted on 14 August 2026 with Tata Advanced Systems and NIBE) involved systems transitioning from battery to IC engine technology. The Divyastra Mk3 demonstrates that Indian industry can now develop jet-powered variants entirely within the domestic ecosystem.

The platform incorporates advanced autonomous flight control and AI-enabled target engagement architecture, designed and built entirely within India. The location of the company — headquartered in the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor — is itself significant. It demonstrates that defence industrial development is extending beyond the traditional hubs of Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune, with the UP Defence Corridor emerging as a credible centre for next-generation drone manufacturing. The development timeline of seven months from concept to flight also indicates a maturing domestic design and testing infrastructure capable of rapid iteration.

The test to watch is whether Divyastra Mk3 transitions from a technology demonstrator to a production programme. The Indian Army's Rs 20,000 crore drone modernisation plan — encompassing loitering munitions, surveillance systems, and high-altitude UAVs from domestic firms — provides the procurement context within which such platforms could find buyers. Naval interest in ship-launched loitering munitions (RFI issued for 1,000 km range, 9-hour loiter systems) further expands the potential market. Whether Kawa UAV secures a role in either programme will determine whether this demonstration converts into sustained industrial capability.