LUCKNOW: Once infamous for manufacture and use of illegal firearms, Uttar Pradesh is now carving a new identity by emerging as a hub for defence manufacturing and start-ups as part of defence corridor.

The transformation is more prominent in state capital Lucknow, a key node of the corridor. Lucknow, besides having the Brahmos missile manufacturing unit, has private start-ups developing advanced drone technology.

A company named Hoverit--founded by Pawan, Ravindra Pal Singh, and Saurabh Singh--has developed an advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) named 'Divyastra MK-1.' As per the entreprenuers, the drone has been designed keeping in mind the requirements of modern warfare, capable of both surveillance and precision strikes.

As per sources, one of the key highlights of the newly designed drone is its impressive 500-kilometer range along with an approximate 5-hour flight endurance and an AI-based targeting system.

It can operate at an altitude of up to 10,000 feet and carry a payload of around 15 kilograms, enabling it to hit targets with high accuracy.

An official spokesperson said that the drone was reported to be significantly cost-effective compared to other alternatives available in the market. He added that the founders of the start-up attributed their rapid progress to the supportive ecosystem created by the state government, including initiatives like the Defence Corridor and start-up-friendly policies.

“As a result, the company is now working towards supplying drones to the Indian Army and has already received initial orders,” said the official spokesman.

Looking ahead, the company is also developing a more advanced MK-2 version of the drone with a striking range of 2000-kilometres and a payload capacity of up to 80 kilograms.

For this, a new manufacturing unit is being set up under the UP Defence Corridor, with a target of producing 20 drones per month, said the official spokesman.

Beyond 'Divyastra,' the company has developed a range of UAVs for defence applications including 'Aankh', a drone developed for surveillance purpose, the 'Baaz' capable of carrying payloads up to 20 kilograms, bomb-dropping drones, and VTOL UAVs that can take off without a runway.

The firm is also working on decoy drones designed to confuse enemy systems, as well as ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) UAVs. Thus the start-up is building a comprehensive drone ecosystem catering to surveillance, logistics, and striking capabilities.

This story is reported by Namita Bajpai