Drone hijacking threats and India’s national security: The case for indigenous technology – Defence News

As global conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israeli-Hamas conflict, and Houthi attacks, become increasingly electronic-centric, drones have emerged as a key tool in modern warfare. These conflicts have shown how adversaries gain tactical advantages by disrupting or accessing control systems of drones, exploiting vulnerabilities in their software and communication protocols. This trend has raised significant concerns about the security of drones in India, especially as many military and civilian drones rely on components from Chinese manufacturers, making them susceptible to hijacking.

In conversation with FinancialExpress.com, Sai Pattabiram, Founder & MD of Zuppa Geo Navigations Pvt Ltd, stresses the growing national security risks posed by the widespread use of Chinese-made drone components. “All recent conflicts, be it Russia-Ukraine or Israeli-Hamas or the Houthi’s, have turned out to be Electronic Centric wars, where the focus has been to gain a strategic advantage both tactically by interfering or accessing the control and communication systems of the adversaries’ equipment by exploiting vulnerabilities in the software/code layers of the equipment’s Cyber Physical Stack (CPS).”

The Cyber Physical System: Understanding Drones as Critical Infrastructure

Drones are categorized as Cyber Physical Systems (CPS), which use electronic computational power to monitor and control physical devices. The core of a drone’s operation relies on a continuous feedback loop, driven by real-time sensory inputs. This makes them vulnerable to external interference, especially when using off-the-shelf (COTS) components. The growing reliance on commercial drones, which often use Chinese autopilots and software, has raised alarms over the security of these systems.

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“The primary reason for the hijacking of Indian-assembled drones that have been supplied for performing national security-critical roles has been because of the use of Chinese autopilots employing the open-source CPS as shown above. Its survivability is very poor, as all its code elements are easily available and can be downloaded from GitHub by any hacker,” Pattabiram explains.

This vulnerability can be exploited by malware residing in the firmware or through other layers such as the command control protocols. In fact, the critical software layer of the Cyber Physical Stack (CPS) is the most vulnerable component, as it governs the drone’s operations—replacing the human pilot’s brain, in the case of manned aircraft. The security of this software, therefore, is paramount.

Given the rise in drone hijacking incidents, there is an urgent need for a shift towards indigenous, non-Chinese drone components. India must take steps to replace these foreign-made elements with more secure, homegrown alternatives to protect national security.

The Need for Indigenous Drone Technology

The widespread use of Chinese components in both civilian and defence drones has been a major concern. Pattabiram highlights the need for a shift toward non-Chinese and indigenous drone components. “The rampant use of COTS civilian drones in the recent wars also necessitates that both civilian and defence drones require to have similar levels of cyber security certification being a dual-use technology that can be used for Civilian, Defence as well as by non-state actors,” he says.

This shift to indigenous technology is not only critical for enhancing security but also necessary to ensure the development of a self-reliant drone manufacturing ecosystem in India.

Zuppa’s Position in the Global Drone Market

When comparing Zuppa drones to those of Israeli and Turkish manufacturers, Pattabiram notes that while Zuppa is competitive from a technological perspective, policy barriers hinder India’s ability to scale and compete internationally.

“In terms of technology, Zuppa is contemporary to global players while additionally enjoying the benefit of being competitive on price terms with the Chinese. Zuppa is the only Indian company manufacturing micro drones similar to the popular DJI drones,” he explains.

“Zuppa is the only Indian company developing and manufacturing proprietary autopilots among other global players like Micropilot (Canada), UAV Navigation and Embition (Spain), Microkopter (Germany), DJI and JIYI (China),” Pattabiram adds, stressing that from a technological standpoint, India has the capability to develop drones on par with global leaders.

Policy Challenges and the Road Ahead

However, despite these technological advancements, policy challenges remain a significant barrier. Pattabiram points out that India’s drone industry is hindered by outdated policies and ineffective regulation. For instance, the implementation of the Civilian Drone Rules of 2021 by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been slow and inefficient.

“The implementation of the Civilian Drone rules of July 2021 by DGCA is practically non-existent on the ground. In fact, DGCA’s costly, time-consuming, ineffective, and un-implemented Type Certification (TC) process favours the import of Chinese components in favour of Indian alternatives,” he laments. The Type Certification process for drones can take 12 to 18 months and costs anywhere between Rs 15-35 lakhs, with any component changes requiring a complete redo of the certification. This lengthy process often forces manufacturers to continue using Chinese components, especially in large government initiatives designed to boost India’s drone industry, such as the “Namo Drone Didi” and “Svamitva” schemes.

India’s Path to Becoming a Global Drone Hub

Despite these policy shortcomings, Pattabiram remains optimistic about India’s potential to become a global drone hub by 2030. He believes that India’s reputation as a trusted technology partner and the global trust deficit concerning China offer a unique opportunity for India to lead the drone industry.

“For India to evolve into a global drone hub, it must create a strategic framework that maps key essentials such as technology, human resources, manufacturing infrastructure, quality certification, cybersecurity, and domestic consumption. The government needs to identify and support companies with complementary capabilities to create a cluster or ecosystem that can scale globally,” Pattabiram asserts.

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