Hyderabad-based defence electronics company Constelli has signed a SPARK Grant Agreement under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative to develop a drone-based electronic support system for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The proposed system will be designed to strengthen signals intelligence (SIGINT) capabilities in hilly terrain and high-altitude areas.
The agreement was signed at the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) office, with the development announced by iDEX-DIO through its official X account on November 12, 2026.
The announcement identified Constelli as an iDEX winner and specified the project as “UAS-Based ESM for SIGINT in Hilly Terrain & High-Altitude Areas”.
The project focuses on developing an unmanned aerial system (UAS)-based electronic support measures (ESM) capability to help the IAF detect, identify and locate electronic emissions in challenging geographical conditions.
Constelli to Develop Drone-Based Electronic Intelligence System
The iDEX challenge associated with the project outlines a vehicle-supported system incorporating tethered drones equipped with electronic-intelligence sensors.
The proposed platform is intended to detect and locate electronic-warfare emitters and relay the collected information to the Indian Air Force, particularly in high-altitude and hilly regions.
The Constelli project centres on electronic intelligence and signals intelligence capabilities. Electronic Support Measures (ESM) involve detecting, identifying and locating electromagnetic emissions, while Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) refers to gathering intelligence from signals.
The proposed system is therefore intended for intelligence-gathering operations rather than functioning as a drone-based jamming platform.
Operating in mountainous and high-altitude environments presents specific requirements for surveillance and intelligence-gathering systems.
The iDEX challenge seeks a drone-supported capability that can help the IAF identify electronic-warfare activity and obtain relevant signal information in these operational environments.
iDEX Grant Supports Development, Not Immediate Defence Procurement
The agreement signed by the company falls under the SPARK Grant framework of the Innovations for Defence Excellence initiative.
The programme supports the development of indigenous defence technologies by providing financial and institutional assistance to selected innovators.
However, the development grant does not automatically translate into a defence procurement contract. Under iDEX rules, funding for prototype development does not guarantee a subsequent order from the armed forces.
The November 12 announcement did not disclose the sanctioned grant amount. It also did not indicate that the proposed Constelli system had been completed, tested or delivered to the Indian Air Force.
Although the matching iDEX challenge appears under the iDEX Prime Re Open category, the available announcement does not establish the specific edition under which Constelli was selected.
Constelli’s Defence Electronics and Electronic Warfare Portfolio
Constelli Signals Private Limited operates in the defence electronics segment, with its offices in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The company lists Satya Gopal Panigrahi as its chief executive officer and Avinash Chenreddy as its chief technology officer.
Its product portfolio includes electronic-warfare signal simulators, radar target and echo simulators, telemetry receivers, drone payloads, jammers and decoys, according to the company’s website.
These offerings span electronic-warfare testing, radar simulation, telemetry and defence-related electronic systems, positioning Constelli in the specialised defence electronics and testing equipment segment.
General Catalyst, which led Constelli’s Series A funding round, has also outlined the company’s work in defence technology.
The investor has described Constelli’s simulators, telemetry systems and test equipment as being used by laboratories of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
General Catalyst has further identified Constelli as a co-development partner for electronic-warfare-related work.
Constelli’s $20 Million Series A Funding Round
Constelli has also secured institutional investment to support its business and technology development. According to transaction disclosures by law firm Khaitan & Co, the company’s Series A funding round was valued at US$20 million.
General Catalyst contributed approximately US$14 million to the round and led the investment.
The Series A equity funding is separate from the SPARK development grant signed under the iDEX initiative.
While the investment represents equity financing for Constelli, the iDEX agreement specifically supports the development of the proposed drone-based electronic support system for the Indian Air Force.
With the latest agreement, Constelli has been selected to develop a specialised unmanned aerial system-based electronic support capability addressing the IAF’s requirements for signals intelligence operations in hilly terrain and high-altitude areas.
