Zen Technologies unveils upgraded C-UAS for Indian Armed Forces

A vehicle-mounted configuration of the Zen Anti-Drone System (ZADS). (Zen Technologies)

Hyderabad-based Zen Technologies has launched an enhanced variant of its counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) that is in service with the Indian Armed Forces.

Speaking to Janes on 6 May, Aravind Mulimani, vice-president of air defence projects at Zen Technologies, said that the new C-UAS variant has increased detection and jamming ranges, and incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) for improved threat detection.

The new variant will be delivered to the Indian Armed Forces over the coming months under contracts previously secured by Zen Technologies, Mulimani added.

The upgraded C-UAS was launched at the North Tech Symposium 2026, jointly organised by the Indian Army and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, from 4 to 6 May.

Zen's C-UAS – named Zen Anti-Drone System (ZADS) – is now available in two categories, Mulimani said. He added that the first category is the standard ZADS offered in vehicle-mounted, containerised, and fixed ground deployment configurations, while the second category is the manportable ZADS.

He said that each standard ZADS consists of a radio-frequency (RF) detector that covers a spectrum of 0.07–6 GHz with a passive detection range of more than 15 km, an active X-band radar with a range of more than 12 km, an electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) sensor, a jammer with global navigation satellite services (GNSS) spoofer for soft-kills with a range of 12 km, and different options of kinetic and non-kinetic effectors for hard-kills.