Founded in 2007 by Ankit Mehta, Rahul Singh, Ashish Bhat, and Vipul Joshi, ideaForge is one of the market leaders in the Indian Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) market. Globally recognized, the company was ranked 3rd in the dual-use (civil and defense) drone manufacturers category by Drone Industry Insights in December 2024. Among the first movers in India’s UAV ecosystem, ideaForge also holds the distinction of being the first company to indigenously develop and manufacture vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAVs in 2009. With a strong portfolio of 90+ patents (granted and applied) and proprietary autopilot systems, ideaForge continues to deliver drones engineered for mission-critical applications, offering unmatched reliability, performance, and security.

The company’s client base is a testament to its trust and credibility, comprising the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, State Police Forces, BSF, NSG, CRPF, Adani, L&T, Indian Oil, Survey of India, and Indian Railways, among many others. With a focus on expanding product portfolio and geographical expansion, ideaForge raised ~$18M in Series B funding in 2022, led by Florintree and supported by its existing investors such as Celesta, Infosys, Qualcomm, Infina, and the Exim Bank of India, with a focus on global expansion.

In 2024, ideaforge invested INR 8.3 Crs as funds in space-tech start-up GalaxEye, marking a strategic collaboration to develop advanced technology solutions for the armed forces in the drone and satellite services domain. That same year, the company was recognized as a Select 200 company with global business potential at Forbes India - DGEMS 2024.

Following this milestone, entered a strategic alliance with TechEagle and invested in its Bridge Financing Round to revolutionise next-gen UAV technologies. Continuing its global footprint, in 2025, ideaForge announced a strategic partnership and investment in Vantage Robotics, Inc., a US-based provider of nano and micro-UAVs, strengthening its presence in the North American market.

Its growth accelerated further while outlining plans to increase its R&D spending to advance UAV innovation. The company’s announcement of securing an order worth approximately INR 137 crore to supply mini-UAVs to the Ministry of Defence led to a 10% surge in its share price. These drones were also battle-tested during Operation Sindoor for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

Recently our SWITCH MINI UAV has earned the prestigious “Fit for Indian Military Use” certification. The SWITCH MINI UAV with its unmatched performance, quality, reliability, and the ability to meet the rigorous demands of the Indian military is the only small UAV to obtain this certification, making it a landmark achievement for the Indian Drone Industry. Additionally, aligned with the Government of India’s Make-in-India and PLI schemes, the company has completed over 725,000 successful missions across 18 years of pioneering drone innovation. As it scales R&D investments and strengthens indigenous drone manufacturing, ideaForge remains committed to shaping a future where drone intelligence drives safer, smarter, and more efficient missions across industries worldwide.