UP Trade Show Spotlights Indigenous Solar UAV and Secure Tactical Mesh

The Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show opened on Friday with a display of indigenous defence technology, where two systems stood out for their potential to shape future operations: a solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle and a secure tactical communication network.

The Tejasvaan Ultra Long Endurance Solar UAV, developed by Maraal Aerospace, is a high-altitude fixed-wing platform built for sustained missions. It has a 12-metre wingspan and a maximum take-off weight of under 60 kg. Solar panels work alongside battery power to keep it airborne for up to 12 hours, while its operational range reaches 150 km and can be extended to 250 km. The aircraft carries a 5 kg payload of high-zoom day-and-night and thermal cameras.

According to the specifications shared at the event, Tejasvaan is designed to resist electronic warfare and GPS spoofing. It can take off from a short 200-metre runway even in moderate winds. Its intended roles include persistent surveillance, communication relay, target acquisition, search-and-rescue, and maritime domain awareness for the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Complementing such platforms is a tactical mesh communication network built by IDR Research and Development, a Greater Noida startup supported by IIT Roorkee. The system allows devices — handheld radios, UAVs, unmanned ground vehicles or sensor swarms — to exchange encrypted messages across multiple hops. It uses AES encryption, automatic route recovery and low-power compact nodes to create a self-healing, any-to-any network that continues to function even when direct links fail.

In combination, the UAV's long-endurance sensors can serve as mobile communication relays within the encrypted mesh, extending coverage into contested or infrastructure-denied areas. The showcase underlines a growing emphasis on self-reliance in defence technology, with private innovators pitching systems designed for tactical advantage.