Zen Technologies: High altitude anti-drone system's launch puts defence stock in focus 

Shares of defence technology company Zen Technologies are in focus today after the firm said it has introduced a new High-Altitude Man-Portable Anti-Drone System (MPADS), expanding its portfolio of counter-drone solutions for deployment in challenging mountainous and border regions. The Hyderabad-based company unveiled the system on July 26 to mark Kargil Vijay Diwas. According to the company, the lightweight platform has been specifically developed for use in high-altitude terrain where conventional vehicle-mounted anti-drone systems are difficult to deploy.

Designed for maximum mobility, the MPADS can be carried by soldiers or transported using pack animals, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), enabling rapid deployment in remote operational environments.

The portable system combines radio frequency (RF) detection, advanced data fusion and omni-directional jamming capabilities in a compact configuration. Zen Technologies said the platform can detect drones from distances of up to 5 kilometres by monitoring the 400 MHz to 6 GHz radio frequency spectrum.

Once a drone is identified, the system can jam command-and-control links as well as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals at ranges of up to 3 kilometres, helping neutralise hostile unmanned aerial vehicles before they reach sensitive locations.

The company added that the MPADS is capable of tracking multiple drones simultaneously, including coordinated drone swarms, and has been engineered to operate around the clock in diverse weather conditions.

At the heart of the system is Zen Technologies' proprietary RF-based drone detection technology, which employs correlative interferometry and digital beamforming to accurately determine the direction of incoming aerial threats.

The detector is integrated with a Data Fusion and Command Centre that consolidates information from multiple sensors into a single operational interface. This enables security personnel to monitor the airspace in real time, identify and classify aerial threats, analyse spectrum activity and make faster operational decisions.

Zen Technologies said the new platform has been developed in response to the growing use of drones in high-altitude and border areas while reinforcing India's push for indigenous defence technologies and self-reliant manufacturing.

Q4 earnings 

The company reported a weak set of Q1 earnings. Net profit fell 27.8% year-on-year to Rs 34.4 crore from Rs 48 crore. Revenue from operations slipped 10.5% to Rs 141.6 crore from Rs 158.2 crore.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell 40.2% to Rs 38.7 crore from Rs 64.7 crore. EBITDA margin narrowed to 27.3% from 40.9%.

Shares of Zen Technologies closed 1.82% lower at Rs 1,768 on Friday. The stock has risen over 30% so far in 2026.