“In today’s battlespace, the first strike may not come from a fighter jet screaming across the skies—it could be a drone the size of a shoebox. And India is ready.”
The changing nature of warfare is no longer a future prediction; it’s a present reality. From asymmetric threats to state-sponsored terrorism, the use of commercial off-the-shelf drones in surveillance, smuggling, and targeted attacks has exploded.
India, with its expansive land borders, porous coastline, and hostile neighbors, has been particularly vulnerable.
But that vulnerability is now being met with resilience.
In a quiet but powerful move, India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has unveiled the D4 (Drone Detect, Deter, Destroy) anti-drone system, which is now being deployed along key border areas.
This homegrown, integrated counter-drone solution is designed to detect and neutralize rogue unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with precision.
Having personally contributed to this system as part of the interception drone component, I’ve seen the complexities, the vision, and the urgency that built this shield.
This article offers an insider’s view of the D4 system, why it matters, how it works, and where it stands in India’s larger strategy against unmanned threats.
The New Threat Landscape
The low cost, ease of availability, and increasing autonomy of drones have made them the weapon of choice for non-state actors and insurgent groups. From the smuggling of narcotics across the Punjab border to the airdropping of arms in Jammu & Kashmir, drones have proven to be effective tools for asymmetric warfare.
The 2021 Jammu Air Force Station drone attack was a wake-up call. In under five minutes, two small drones dropped explosives on the station premises—no fighter pilot, no warning radar signature, no traditional engagement possible.
It wasn’t just a breach of physical space; it was a breach of perception. The enemy didn’t need a missile—they just needed a drone with GPS and intent.
Genesis Of The D4 System
In response to this evolving threat, DRDO initiated the development of an indigenous counter-drone solution. The D4 system was built under the stewardship of India’s finest minds in collaboration with private and public-sector partners.
I was privileged to be part of this effort—not as a spectator but as a designer and integrator of interceptor drones that could autonomously engage rogue UAVs mid-flight. Our design mandate was speed, precision, and non-collateral impact.
The project was multi-layered. It required seamless integration of various technologies:
- Radio-frequency (RF) detection
- Radar and electro-optical tracking
- AI-powered threat classification
- Electronic jamming and spoofing
- Hard-kill and soft-kill neutralization
The D4 is not just a product—it’s a system of systems designed to adapt to terrains, threat levels, and operational environments.
What Makes The D4 Unique?
At its core, the D4 system is a multi-sensor, multi-kill solution that can detect, track, and neutralize small drones flying at low altitudes, especially in cluttered environments.
Let’s break it down:
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Detection Layer
The D4 system uses a combination of radars, RF sensors, and EO/IR (electro-optical/infrared) cameras. This multi-modal detection helps overcome the limitations of any single sensor.
- RF Scanners detect the command-and-control (C2) signals of most commercial drones.
- X-band radar provides precise bearing and range data even for low RCS (Radar Cross Section) drones.
- EO/IR cameras provide visual confirmation, especially useful in day/night ops and to avoid false positives.
This layered detection ensures the system sees what human eyes and legacy radars can’t.
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Threat Analysis
An embedded AI engine processes signals, differentiates between birds, kites, and drones, and classifies the type—quadcopter, fixed-wing, or hybrid. This AI-based target classification is critical, especially in crowded or civilian areas.
No room for error here. A wrong kill could mean civilian casualties or diplomatic blowback.
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Soft-Kill Options
Once a drone is confirmed hostile, the D4 activates its electronic warfare (EW) suite:
- GPS spoofing to misguide the drone.
- RF jamming to sever the command link between pilot and drone.
- Wi-Fi de-authentication for certain models using off-the-shelf chips.
These measures are non-lethal and are typically the first response.
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Hard-Kill Options
When soft kills fail, kinetic action is initiated. The D4 offers:
- Laser-directed energy weapons (DEWs) that melt key components.
- Interceptor drones—the component we worked on—chase and collide or deploy net-based entrapments.
- Projectile launchers (in some deployments) to physically down the drone.
In some trials, we tested hybrid interceptors with AI-swarming capability—imagine a flock of drones coordinating to bring down a rogue intruder. These are no longer ideas on a PowerPoint; they are functional, field-tested, and calibrated for border ops.
My Role In Building The Aerial Interceptor
Designing the interceptor drone for the D4 system was a deeply technical and philosophical challenge.
We weren’t building a racing drone or a long-endurance surveyor. We were building a hunter.
Key Considerations:
- High thrust-to-weight ratio for vertical climbs and rapid acceleration.
- AI-based vision system to track the rogue UAV even if RF signals are jammed.
- Onboard decision-making—in case of lost link with the ground controller.
- Payload options like deployable nets, blade attachments, or even self-destruct for one-time missions.
We tested them across altitudes and demonstrated them to the Governor of Telangana. Our goal was to intercept within 20 seconds of detection. Every gram and millisecond of latency mattered.
This wasn’t just engineering; it was a battlefield ballet of hardware, software, and instincts. The D4 system also has a similar hunter drone.
From Trial Grounds To Frontlines
In 2024, after multiple test cycles, the D4 system was declared operational. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Indian Army began trials at select locations—particularly in Punjab, Jammu, and the Northeast, where drone intrusions had surged.
Today, D4 is being deployed in layers:
- Forward bases to monitor infiltration and drone drops.
- Strategic installations like ammunition dumps, airbases, and communication hubs.
- Border Outposts (BOPs) to detect cross-border smuggling and recon drones.
And it’s not just the Army—BSF, CRPF, and NSG are also undergoing training to use it.
Gamechanger In Anti-Drug & Anti-Terror Ops
Drones have become the new mules for drug cartels. In Punjab, heroin drops via quadcopters with GPS-guided coordinates became common by 2022. The D4 system is now actively being used to:
- Detect incoming drops.
- Jam them before payload release.
- Capture and retrieve drones for forensic analysis.
Terror outfits across the border also experimented with dropping hand grenades and IEDs. The D4, integrated with secure command systems, alerts local quick-reaction teams, ensuring response in seconds—not minutes.
In at least three reported incidents, the D4’s interceptor drone brought down a rogue UAV before it could cross the border—making this not just a defensive system but a proactive countermeasure.
Why Indigenous Matters
Could we have bought a similar system from abroad? Yes.
But like many of us who’ve served, I believe Indian problems need Indian solutions. The terrain, the fog, the power conditions, the enemy playbook—it’s unique. Off-the-shelf Israeli or Western systems simply can’t be hardcoded to understand Punjab’s winter haze or Assam’s jungle clutter.
The D4 is Made in India, Made for India, and now, Made for the World.
DRDO’s success here signals that India can be a global hub for counter-UAS systems. From export-ready components to full-stack platforms, our moment is here.
The Road Ahead
The battlefield is evolving faster than protocols. The enemy will adapt. They will switch frequencies, deploy stealthier drones, and perhaps even use AI-generated swarm attacks.
This is why the D4 is being constantly upgraded:
- Integration with facial and payload recognition.
- 5G jamming modules.
- Portable D4 Lite versions for VIP protection and convoys.
- Naval variants with maritime radar integration.
AMOS Aerospace, AutoMicroUAS, and others are working parallelly to make this ecosystem modular, mobile, and interoperable.
A Personal Note
As someone who has flown supersonic fighters and chased bogeys on radar, building an anti-drone system might seem like a step-down. But in truth, it’s a step forward.
Because today, the enemy doesn’t always come with wings and missiles. Sometimes, it comes as a buzzing quadcopter with a grenade, flying under the radar but aimed at our sovereignty.
Building the interception drone for D4 wasn’t just an engineering challenge. It was personal. Each successful test, each drop recovered, each attack foiled—that’s a soldier saved. That’s a village protected. That’s India defended.
Conclusion: Our Skies, Our Watch
The D4 anti-drone system is not just hardware. It’s a doctrine shift. It marks the transition from traditional perimeter defense to 360-degree, layered airspace awareness.
India is no longer waiting to react. It is preparing to anticipate, intercept, and neutralize in real-time.
And for me, being part of this journey—from cockpit to code, from radar to rotor—has been nothing short of poetic.
The future of war is silent. But so is the drone that guards our skies.
- Group Capt MJ Augustine Vinod VSM (R) is COO, AutoMicroUAS. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the EurAsian Times’ views.
- He tweets at @mjavinod
