Deadline Date: May 26, 2026
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Ministry of Earth Sciences has launched the ANRF MAHA Drones: Components & Sub-Assemblies Research & Innovation Program to strengthen India’s drone ecosystem by supporting indigenous technologies and reducing import dependence in critical drone components and subsystems.
The program focuses on propulsion and energy systems, smart materials and adaptive airframes, assured navigation and autonomy, resilient communications and positioning systems, advanced sensors and payloads, and safety, certification, and unmanned traffic management systems. The initiative aims to support innovation in areas such as advanced Li-ion cells, PEM fuel cells, morphing wings, self-healing composites, NavIC-enabled GNSS receivers, swarm autonomy, secure communication systems, LiDAR-on-chip sensors, hyperspectral imagers, bio-secure medical payload carriers, EO-IR camera payloads, UAV parachute recovery systems, and emergency identifier hardware modules.
The program seeks to establish national capability in foundational drone technologies and transition India from an assembly-driven ecosystem to an innovation-driven and component-secure ecosystem. The mission also aims to develop indigenous drone components and sub-assemblies across the technology stack, reduce strategic import dependence, foster innovation in critical drone technologies, deliver TRL-7 commercialisable demonstrators within three years, and strengthen industrial capabilities for defence and civilian applications.
Funding may be allocated to collaborative consortia comprising academia, R&D laboratories, recognised and registered startups, MSMEs, Section-8 companies, DSIR-SIRO recognised organisations, and industry partners. The maximum financial support available from ANRF for a single project is INR 50 crore for a duration of three years.
Eligibility is limited to consortium-based proposals involving academic institutions, research organisations, national laboratories, industry partners, and startups or MSMEs. Each proposal must include at least one industry and/or startup partner and must present a credible translation plan for converting research outputs into deployable technologies. Lead Principal Investigators must hold a regular position in an academic institution, national research laboratory, or DSIR-SIRO recognised organisation, possess a PhD in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or related disciplines, and have at least three years of service remaining before superannuation. Applicants must be Indian citizens or OCI holders.
For more information, visit ICMR.
