All about Made-in-India D4 drone system

The D4S is the first indigenously developed anti-drone system to be inducted into the Indian armed forces and can tackle any imminent security threats within a 4-km radius.

After being showcased in the Republic Day parade in Delhi last week as part of Defence Research & Development Organisation's tableau, the India-made "Drone Detect, Deter & Destroy system" (D4S) is now one of the products to be displayed at Aero India 2023. D4S is the first indigenously developed anti-drone system to be inducted into the Indian Armed Forces and can tackle any imminent security threats within a 4-km radius.

Here is more on what is the significance of this India-made system to counter drones and how it is yet another leap for the country to meet its mission to be 'Aatmanirbhar'.

All about D4 drone system

Developed by DRDO and manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), this counter drone system is the first indigenously developed anti-drone system to be inducted into the Indian Armed Forces.

The DRDO's tableau showcasing land surveillance, communication and neutralising platforms during the Republic Day parade in 2023 included D4 counter drone systems, which can perform real-time serach, detection, tracking and neutralize targets.

Using multiple sensors and two different counterattacks, the drone system can detect, track and identify rogue drones within the 4 km range.

D-4 drone system is capable of destroying micro-drones by jamming the command and control links and further by damaging the hardware of the drones. Once the system identifies a rogue aerial threat, the drone system transfers the information to associated systems. This information enables the counter techniques of either soft or hard kill.

For soft kill, the D4 system instantly detects and jams micro drones or uses a laser-based kill-mechanic to terminate targets for hard kill. The system can lase a target 1-1.25 km far depending on the wattage of the laser weapon.

The system uses DRDO's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to detect the frequency which is being used by the controller and the signals are then jammed.

The Counter Drone System comprises drone detection and tracking radar, day and night camera with laser ranging for detection and tracking of drone target, communication channel detection and jamming system (soft kill), GPS jamming/spoofing System (soft kill), laser directed energy weapon system (hard kill) and command & control centre (C3) with power source for complete system, according to an Indian Express report.

The drone menace

The drone menace has been on a rise in India and the D4 anti drone is a much needed answer that the country's defence has been scouting for.

According to OneIndia report, the number of drone sightings increased from 104 in 2022 to 311 in 2023 along the India-Pakistan border.

The report said that in 2023, the BSF had shot down 22 such drones and seized nearly 45 kilograms of heroin in addition to seven grenades, 60 rounds of ammunition and two magazines. The drones have been used to drop off weapons, explosives and drugs, the report added.

About Aero India

The 14th edition of Aero India will be held at the Air Force Station in Yelahanka, from February 13 to 17. BEL will showcase its R&D capabilities during the show through launches and demonstrations of new products and technologies and the same will be displaed under 12 clusters.

The clusters include air defence and surveillance, C4I systems, AI-based products, non-defence and diversification products, radar systems, communication systems, airborne products and systems, homeland and cyber security, futuristic technologies, missile systems, electro optics and laser-based products, and outdoor display products.