Zen Technologies, a defence technology company, has introduced India's first High-Altitude Man-Portable Anti-Drone System (MPADS), a counter-unmanned aerial system (counter-UAS) designed for deployment in mountainous and remote terrain. The system was announced on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, underscoring its relevance to high-altitude warfare.
Launch on Kargil Vijay Diwas
According to a company press release, the launch commemorates the courage and sacrifice of the Indian Armed Forces during the Kargil conflict while addressing one of the most pressing challenges in modern warfare: the growing use of drones across high-altitude battlefields.
Design and Portability
The lightweight system is designed for rapid deployment in terrain where conventional vehicle-mounted counter-drone systems are difficult to operate. It combines radio frequency (RF) detection, data fusion and omni-directional jamming in a portable configuration. The company stated that the system can be carried by soldiers, pack animals, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), or unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), ensuring mobility across diverse operational environments.
Technical Specifications
Zen Technologies said the MPADS offers drone detection ranges of up to 5 km through wideband RF scanning across the 400 MHz to 6 GHz spectrum and omni-directional jamming of up to 3 km to disrupt drone command links and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals simultaneously. The system is capable of multi-target and swarm detection and is designed for 24x7, all-weather operation with indigenous, state-of-the-art architecture.
Core Technologies
At the core of the system is the company's RF-Based Drone Detector (RFDD), which uses advanced Correlative Interferometry and Digital Beamforming techniques to determine the bearing of hostile drones. The detector is integrated with a Data Fusion and Command Centre (DFCC), enabling operators to monitor threats, classify aerial targets, analyse spectrum activity and make engagement decisions.
Strategic Importance
With drone activity rising in high-altitude and border areas, Zen Technologies emphasised that portable counter-drone systems are becoming increasingly important for frontline protection. The company said its latest solution strengthens India's indigenous defence ecosystem by delivering a scalable, rapidly deployable capability that enables troops to detect, track and neutralise aerial threats wherever the mission demands.
