India’s jet-powered AI swarm drone is here

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]India's very own jetpod AI swarm drone is here. Now, Russia finally publicly unveiled the new Geran-5 drone during the May 9 Victory Parade in Moscow.

[00:00:10]Unlike the earlier Geran-1 and Geran-2 drones, derived from the Iranian Shahed-136, the Geran-5 is jet-powered, significantly faster, harder to intercept, and closer in capability to a low-cost cruise missile than a traditional loitering munition.

[00:00:26]The drone was displayed mounted on a launch catapult during the parade.

[00:00:30]According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia first used the Geran-5 operationally in January 2026.

[00:00:37]The system is around 6 m long with a 5.5 m long wingspan, capable of speeds approaching 600 km/h.

[00:00:46]And strike ranges of nearly 950 to 1,000 km. According to Ukraine's intelligence agency, the drone employs a 12-channel Kometa satellite navigation system, Raspberry Pi-based flight controllers, and 3G and 4G communication modules.

[00:01:01]Reports further suggest that the Geran-5 could eventually carry R-73 infrared guided air-to-air missiles, potentially giving it limited aerial interception capability alongside strike missions.

[00:01:13]So, what's India been working on?

[00:01:16]India's response is the Suraksha Mark 1, developed by Noida-based WeDa Aeronautics for the Indian Air Force.

[00:01:23]India placed a 300 crore order for 200 drones in August 2023 after successful flight and user trials with the first batch delivered in April 2025.

[00:01:35]The drone is relatively compact for a jet-powered system, around 3.5 m long with a 3-m wingspan and roughly 90 kg in weight.

[00:01:44]Carrying a 30-to-40 kg high-explosive warhead, Suraksha reportedly cruises at 350 to 400 km/h and uses low-observable V-tail design to reduce radar visibility.

[00:01:57]The land-launch version has a strike range exceeding 150 km, while the more advanced air-dropped canister-swarmed variant could exceed 500 km when launched from aircraft such as the C-17 or the C-130J Super Hercules. More than 20 drones can reportedly coordinate autonomously, share targeting data, operate in GPS-denied environments, and overwhelm enemy air defenses simultaneously.

[00:02:23]SureShots is also modular. Beyond pure strike missions, it can reportedly carry ISR payloads, operate as a decoy target, or conduct electronic warfare-style missions. And future variants are even more ambitious.

[00:02:37]Vedha Aeronautics is reportedly working on air-launched and canister-launched versions, including concepts capable of being deployed from transport aircraft or Army BMP infantry fighting vehicles.

[00:02:49]Some reports suggest future air-launched swarm variants, which could reach targets nearly 1,000 km away.