NETRA 5

NETRA 5 is a foldable, hand-launched quadcopter UAV developed by ideaForge of India, unveiled in February 2025 as the successor to the maker's earlier NETRA line, built for jam-resistant surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Overview

ideaForge unveiled NETRA 5 at Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru in February 2025, alongside the SWITCH V2 tactical UAV. The maker describes NETRA 5 as building on its earlier NETRA series, adding electronic-warfare resilience, a modular payload architecture, and a longer design life. Janes described the platform as production-ready at launch.

Design and capabilities

ideaForge states NETRA 5 has a maximum take-off weight under 8 kg and a quadcopter airframe with a rugged, lightweight, foldable design that can be carried in a backpack and readied in under three minutes. It carries a fixed primary payload bay with a high-zoom optical camera and FLIR Boson infrared sensor, plus a modular secondary payload bay rated for up to 2 kg, which the manufacturer says can carry synthetic-aperture radar (SAR), LiDAR, multispectral-mapping sensors, a megaphone, or a drop-delivery mechanism. The aircraft includes an all-weather collision-avoidance system the manufacturer says can detect obstacles as small as power cables, and is rated for a 5,000-flight service life, about 150,000 km of cumulative flight, with IP55 rain resistance.

For communications, ideaForge states NETRA 5 switches between 2.4 GHz RF and 4G links and uses frequency hopping to resist jamming; the manufacturer says there is "no range limit" where 4G network coverage exists, though it has not published a fixed radio-only range figure. The aircraft is designed to continue navigating and return home if GNSS signals are jammed or denied.

Operational history

ideaForge has not publicly disclosed named military operators for NETRA 5. Shephard Media reported that ideaForge describes itself as India's largest supplier of operational UAVs, with its earlier SWITCH line supplied in quantity to the Indian military.

Frequently asked questions

What is the ideaForge NETRA 5?

NETRA 5 is a foldable, hand-launched quadcopter UAV built by ideaForge of India for jam-resistant surveillance and reconnaissance missions, unveiled in February 2025.

How much can the NETRA 5 carry?

ideaForge rates its modular secondary payload bay at up to 2 kg, in addition to a fixed primary multi-sensor payload.

How heavy is the NETRA 5?

ideaForge states a maximum take-off weight under 8 kg.

Can the NETRA 5 operate if GPS is jammed?

Yes. ideaForge states the aircraft is designed to navigate and return home even when GNSS signals are jammed or denied, and uses frequency hopping to resist communications jamming.

Is the NETRA 5 in production?

Janes described NETRA 5 as a production-ready platform at its February 2025 launch.