New Delhi: India counter-drone technology is entering a new phase as the country develops advanced sound-based and microwave-based systems to neutralize hostile drones without using traditional missiles or bullets.
Led by organizations such as the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), these non-kinetic weapons aim to disable drones through directed energy and acoustic waves.
The initiative is part of India’s broader effort to strengthen indigenous defence capabilities and build a multi-layered shield against evolving aerial threats.
SHIELD Programme: India’s New Approach To Counter Drone Threats
Drone warfare has changed modern battlefields across the world. Small and low-cost drones are increasingly being used for surveillance, attacks, and cross-border operations.
To tackle this challenge, India is investing in non-kinetic technologies that can disable drones without physically destroying them. These systems use sound waves and microwave energy to interfere with drone electronics and navigation systems.
What Are Non-Kinetic Weapons
Non-kinetic weapons are systems that neutralize threats without direct physical impact.
Instead of missiles or bullets, they rely on technologies such as electronic warfare, microwaves, lasers, jamming, or acoustic energy to disrupt enemy systems. Such weapons can often be more cost-effective against large drone swarms.
CSIO Develops Acoustic Counter-Drone System
Scientists at the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) in Chandigarh have developed an experimental acoustic counter-drone system.
The technology uses powerful sound waves to interfere with the MEMS gyroscope sensors that help drones maintain balance and orientation during flight. By disrupting these sensors, drones can become unstable and lose control.
Potential Benefits Of Acoustic Weapons
The system does not require ammunition, missiles, or laser beams. This makes it a potentially low-cost option for protecting sensitive locations from small drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
DRDO’s SHIELD Programme And Microwave Weapons
The Defence Research and Development Organisation has launched the SHIELD (S-Band High-Power Microwave Integrated Evaluation System For Lethality And Damage) programme.
The initiative aims to evaluate how intense microwave energy affects electronic systems, particularly drones and unmanned aerial platforms.
SHIELD Programme: How High-Power Microwaves Work
High-power microwave systems emit concentrated electromagnetic energy. This energy can interfere with electronic circuits, communication systems, sensors, and control mechanisms inside drones, potentially disabling them without causing physical destruction.
DRDO’s Microwave Weapon Prototype
In January 2026, DRDO showcased a prototype microwave directed-energy weapon during the International Conference on Electronic Warfare in Bengaluru.
According to available reports, the prototype successfully disabled quadcopter UAVs at ranges of up to one kilometre during testing. Researchers are working to increase the effective range to around five kilometres.
Key Technical Features
The system operates in the S-band frequency range. Reports indicate it can generate power output of around 450 MW with very short pulse durations, allowing it to target vulnerable drone electronics efficiently.
Why India Is Investing In Directed Energy Weapons
Conflicts around the world have demonstrated how inexpensive drones can challenge expensive military platforms. Traditional interception methods often require costly missiles, making them less economical against large drone swarms.
Cost-Effective Defence
Directed-energy systems such as acoustic devices, microwaves, and lasers can offer an additional defence layer before conventional weapons are used. This approach may reduce operational costs while improving response times against mass drone attacks.
SHIELD Programme: India’s Expanding Counter-Drone Ecosystem
India is building a broader counter-drone network that combines radar systems, jammers, directed-energy weapons, and kinetic interceptors.
Projects such as SHIELD, laser-based directed-energy systems, and integrated counter-UAS platforms are part of the country’s effort to create a comprehensive air defence architecture.
Support For Make In India
These developments align with the government’s Make In India and defence self-reliance goals. A significant share of India’s future defence modernization plans focuses on indigenous technologies and domestic manufacturing.
What Challenges Remain
Experts note that acoustic systems face challenges related to range, environmental conditions, beam intensity, and precision targeting. Similarly, microwave weapons require extensive testing to ensure effectiveness against different types of drones and electronic systems.
Need For Multi-Layered Defence
Defence specialists generally agree that no single technology can stop every drone threat. Future protection will likely rely on a combination of radar detection, jamming, directed-energy weapons, and conventional interceptors.
Read also: How DRDO’s New 500-Watt Laser Technology That Could Make Indian Missiles More Deadly
FAQs
SHIELD is DRDO’s S-Band High-Power Microwave Integrated Evaluation System For Lethality And Damage programme designed to study how microwave energy affects drones and electronic systems.
The CSIO-developed system uses powerful sound waves to interfere with drone gyroscope sensors, causing instability and loss of control during flight.
Microwave weapons can disable drone electronics and communication systems without firing missiles, making them a potentially cost-effective solution against drone swarms.
