Sheshnaag-150
Indian swarming one-way attack drone with over 1000 km range.
The Sheshnaag-150 is a long-range, one-way attack drone from India, designed for swarming operations. It was built by NewSpace Research & Technologies, a private company based in Bengaluru. In terms of design, it is comparable to the Iranian Shahed 136 and the American LUCAS drones.
The drone is part of the broader Sheshnaag programme, under which NewSpace is developing a family of one-way attack UAVs with strike ranges between 15 and 1,000 kilometres. The Sheshnaag-150 was first shown publicly at Aero India 2025. It will be offered to all branches of the Indian Armed Forces.
Development began as an internal project at NewSpace. It was accelerated after Operation Sindoor, when the startup’s leadership was called in by the Indian military. The drone was built from the ground up as a collaborative attack swarm system. This swarm approach is meant to overwhelm enemy air defences and carry out precision strikes. Its indigenously developed software and connective systems allow it to autonomously track, detect, and destroy targets such as infrastructure, vehicles, or personnel. It can deliver a warhead of 25 to 40 kilograms over a range exceeding 1,000 kilometres.
The first flight took place by February 2025 at the Chitradurga Aeronautical Test Range. Another trial was conducted in April 2026 at the Pokhran Test Range without a live warhead. That test demonstrated a strike range of over 700 kilometres and validated coordinated swarm attacks, controlled terminal strike, and reliable long-distance flight performance.
Quick Facts
- Is Ranged
- Yes
- Used By
- Indian Army (Intended) / Indian Air Force (Intended)
- Designer
- NewSpace Research and Technologies (NRT)
- Weight
- 150 kg
- Filling
- High-explosive fragmentation
- Filling Weight
- 25-40 kg
- Vehicle Range
- 1000 km with 5 hours endurance
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Sheshnaag-150 was developed as an internal project of NewSpace Research & Technologies, but was fast-tracked following Operation Sindoor when the startup's leadership was summoned by the Indian military. The drone made its public debut at Aero India 2025 and is intended for all branches of the Indian Armed Forces. It is being developed from scratch as a collaborative attack swarming system, with indigenously developed software and connective systems that can autonomously track, detect, and destroy adversary targets including infrastructure, vehicles, or personnel.
The first flight of the Sheshnaag-150 was completed by February 2025 from the Chitradurga Aeronautical Test Range. A subsequent trial in April 2026 at the Pokhran Test Range, conducted without a live warhead, demonstrated a strike range of over 700 km and validated coordinated swarm attacks, controlled terminal strike, and reliable long-distance flight performance. The swarm strategy is adopted to overwhelm enemy air defences and undertake precision strikes.
The increased usage and effectiveness of loitering munitions during conflicts such as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Red Sea crisis, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict made the indigenous development of such platforms necessary. The Sheshnaag-150 is one of several drones under the Sheshnaag programme, which covers strike ranges from 15 to 1000 km.
Reader's Guide
The Sheshnaag-150 represents a significant step in India's indigenous development of loitering munitions, driven by the demonstrated effectiveness of such systems in recent conflicts including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Red Sea crisis, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict. Its development was fast-tracked after Operation Sindoor, when the Indian military summoned the leadership of NewSpace Research & Technologies, underscoring the strategic urgency placed on this capability.
The drone's design as a collaborative swarming system, with autonomous target detection and tracking, reflects a modern approach to overwhelming enemy air defences. The successful trial in April 2026, which validated coordinated swarm attacks and a strike range of over 700 km, indicates progress toward operational deployment. As part of a broader programme offering strike ranges from 15 to 1000 km, the Sheshnaag-150 is positioned to provide the Indian Armed Forces with a flexible, long-range one-way attack capability comparable to systems like the Shahed 136 and LUCAS drones.
Did You Know?
- The Sheshnaag-150 is developed by Bengaluru-based private company NewSpace Research & Technologies.
- Its design is comparable to the Iranian Shahed 136 and the US LUCAS drones.
- A trial in April 2026 at Pokhran Test Range demonstrated a strike range of over 700 km.
More in Loitering Munitions and Target Drones 1-24
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