India is taking drone warfare to the next level with mobile “drone factories” that can print, build, and launch drones wherever the mission demands.
The initiative comes from Zuppa and Divide By Zero Technologies (DBZ), who have teamed up to create containerized fabrication units capable of producing drones on the spot.
These compact, deployable drone labs reportedly slash drone production time from weeks to just hours.
By moving manufacturing to the field, the concept also aims to reduce reliance on central facilities and lengthy logistics, improving response speed during both combat and disaster operations.
“This collaboration is a major step toward Atmanirbhar Bharat in frontline technology,” said Venkatesh Sai, Zuppa co-founder and technical director.
“By enabling rapid, on-demand drone manufacturing right at the field, we’re giving defense forces unprecedented autonomy and adaptability.”
Factory on the Frontline
The Rapid Fabrication Container Unit merges DBZ’s industrial-grade 3D printing expertise with Zuppa’s AI-enabled drone systems and mission software.
Together, they form a portable production hub that can operate in isolated or high-risk areas.
The setup supports three core tasks: field-based drone creation for tactical, surveillance, and logistics roles, repair or modification of existing drones, and immediate deployment through Zuppa’s autonomous flight network.
“Our partnership with Zuppa transforms mobile, autonomous manufacturing into reality, bringing production capability directly to the battlefield,” added Swapnil Sansare, founder and CEO of DBZ.
