Mumbai-based drone manufacturer ideaForge has announced that its SWITCH Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) has received Type Certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), paving the way for its deployment across civil, paramilitary, police, and enterprise use cases under India’s Drone Rules 2021. The platform, already operational with the defence forces in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism missions, is now poised to play a critical role in diverse applications such as infrastructure monitoring, mining, disaster response, policing, and environmental research.
The SWITCH UAV has a strong pedigree in defence-grade operations. It was earlier acknowledged as ‘Fit for Indian Military Use’ by the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) and also assigned a NATO Stock Number, reinforcing its credibility as a globally recognized platform. Its advanced hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability equips it for extended missions across difficult terrains and even during night operations, enhancing both endurance and operational versatility.
Commenting on the milestone, Rahul Singh, VP of Engineering and Co-founder at ideaForge, said, “We are proud that our SWITCH UAV has been granted DGCA Type Certification. This achievement underscores our commitment to developing world-class UAVs that are safe, reliable, and future-ready.”
This certification places ideaForge among the select few Indian drone manufacturers to secure multiple DGCA approvals, further strengthening its reputation as a leader in the indigenous UAV ecosystem. The company expects the approval to accelerate adoption of drones across enterprises and government agencies, while also contributing to the growth of India’s civil drone sector.
ideaForge continues to scale its portfolio through strategic collaborations and innovation. The company has partnered with Resonia to deploy UAVs in the power sector and is working with US-based Vantage Robotics to advance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) solutions. Backed by robust R&D and manufacturing facilities in both India and the United States, ideaForge is actively consolidating its position as a global UAV innovator.
By opening the SWITCH UAV to non-military applications, ideaForge is not only diversifying the drone’s utility but also reinforcing India’s ambition to emerge as a hub for advanced, indigenous drone technology.
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