India’s first “dual stealth drone” was developed by Hyderabad-based Veera Dynamics and is covered in a cutting-edge nanotechnology substance called RAMA (Radar Absorption & Multispectral Adaptive).
Drones and other military systems can be painted or wrapped with this nanotechnology stealth coating. Two carbon compounds are combined in RAMA to absorb radar radiation and transform them into heat, which dissipates at a rate of roughly 1.5 degrees Celsius per second.
In order to attain thermal balance, the material also synchronizes with the surrounding temperature, greatly lowering the drone’s infrared (IR) heat signature and radar cross-section.
RAMA was first created for a navy challenge in 2022 that focused on IR stealth. It showed a 97% reduction in IR signature and has subsequently been improved to minimize radar visibility by over 90%. The drone is almost imperceptible to radar and infrared detection systems due to its multispectral stealth capability.
In order to incorporate RAMA into autonomous drones that the Indian Army has recently tested, Veera Dynamics has teamed up with Binford Research Labs, another defense technology company situated in Hyderabad. These drones can function well in areas where radio frequency (RF) and GPS are blocked, when stealth and survival are essential for high-risk, clandestine military operations.
The RAMA coating improves operational secrecy and mission success by compressing the adversary’s detect-to-engage window to almost zero, according to Binford founder Sidhanth Jain.
IIT Hyderabad provided early-stage support for this initiative, which is being backed by the Indian Ministry of Defense through its iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) program.
The collaborative project intends to increase manufacturing of these disposable, attritable stealth drones in order to meet India’s increasing need for widely deployable unmanned systems that can function in contested and high-threat areas.
The first dual stealth drone in India combines autonomous flight technology with the state-of-the-art RAMA nanotech coating, which reduces thermal signatures, absorbs radar waves, and adjusts to ambient temperature to hide the drone from radar and infrared detection.
For the Indian armed forces, this strategic development marks a substantial advancement in low-observability military technologies.