IG Defence tests KAL kamikaze drone with 1,000-km range

Noida-based aerospace manufacturer IG Defence has successfully tested its indigenous ‘KAL’ kamikaze drone at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. The one-way attack drone is capable of striking targets at a range of up to 1,000 kilometres.

The KAL platform features a maximum take-off weight of 200 kg and can carry a 50 kg high-explosive warhead. It is designed for flight endurance of seven to eight hours, cruising at speeds between 160 and 200 km/h, and operating at altitudes up to 5,000 metres.

To facilitate autonomous navigation and target destruction, the drone utilizes a secure navigation suite combining jam-resistant multi-band Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) with an inertial navigation system (INS). The system is intended to engage high-value targets such as radar installations, air-defence batteries, and critical infrastructure. This development aims to provide India with a scalable, sovereign alternative to foreign-origin systems like the Iranian Shahed-136.