HoverIt flies India’s first jet-powered loitering munition

What HoverIt builds

HoverIt, operating as Kawa UAV Private Limited, designs and manufactures unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and loitering munitions. Founded in August 2022 and based in Lucknow’s Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor, the company has developed a range of platforms for surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike missions.

Its surveillance and reconnaissance drones include Aankh, a compact system with thermal imaging for intelligence gathering, and Raftaar, a fixed-wing UAV capable of long-range surveillance with vertical take-off. Baaz is designed for precision payload delivery and high-altitude operations.

The Divyastra loitering munitions

The Divyastra series represents HoverIt’s strike-capable systems. The propeller-driven Mk1 is described as a multi-role loitering munition with swarm capability, claimed to have a 500 km range and five hours of endurance. The Mk2, tested earlier in 2026, underwent high-speed taxi trials on the Ganga Expressway.

The Divyastra Mk3, which completed its maiden flight on 11 August 2026, is jet-powered. According to HoverIt and its engine partner DG Propulsion, it is the first Indian loitering munition with a turbojet to fly. The companies state the programme moved from inception to flight in under a year.

Funding, production, and deployments

HoverIt raised $500,000 in seed funding in January 2026, reporting a valuation above $5 million at the time. It is preparing for a second funding round.

The company expects to begin manufacturing operations from the Lucknow node of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor by the end of 2026. It has demonstrated its systems to state industrial development officials and tested them in operational environments, including high-altitude deployments in Ladakh and reconnaissance exercises with defence forces.

HoverIt has stated that its drones have been used by Indian Army units, though no public contract or tender has been announced. The company aims to market its platforms internationally, arguing that systems proven in Indian conditions will meet global standards.

What this means

Lazyfounder analysis — our interpretation, not reported fact.

HoverIt’s flight of the Divyastra Mk3 signals a step forward for India’s defence startups in developing high-performance, jet-powered strike systems. The ability to design, test, and fly a turbojet-powered loitering munition within a year demonstrates rapid iteration and local engineering capabilities, particularly in propulsion—a traditionally import-dependent component.

For founders and operators in the defence and aerospace sectors, this development underscores the growing role of Indian startups in filling technology gaps, especially in areas where foreign suppliers have dominated. The claimed operational use of HoverIt’s systems by the Indian Army, even without a public contract, may indicate a shift toward faster adoption of indigenous solutions for urgent requirements.

The planned move to production in the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor could also set a precedent for other startups looking to scale manufacturing under government-backed initiatives. However, the lack of disclosed orders or named customers leaves questions about commercial traction, which remains a critical hurdle for hardware-focused defence startups.