Indra deploys its CROW counter‑drone system during the presidential inauguration in Chile
The system had already proven its effectiveness in other high security international events such as APEC 2024 in Peru, COP16 in Colombia, NATO and European Union summits, and is currently used by several armed forces
CROW operates 24/7 with 3D radars, radiofrequency sensors, thermal and visible cameras, artificial intelligence, soft kill neutralization systems and hard kill capability.
The deployment took place within the framework of a collaboration between the company and the Chilean Air Force and will continue through FIDAE 2026, where Indra will showcase its capabilities in space, radars, counter UAS systems, drones and advanced maintenance
Indra contributed the capabilities of its CROW counter‑UAS system to the aerial security operation led by the Chilean Air Force for the presidential change‑of‑command ceremony held on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at the National Congress in Valparaíso. The event marked the inauguration of José Antonio Kast as President, bringing together high‑level authorities and international delegations, in a setting where securing the perimeter against next‑generation unmanned threats was essential due to the complex operational environment.
CROW is a high‑performance, modular, scalable and highly adaptable solution designed for 24/7 operations to protect military deployments and facilities, critical infrastructure, official buildings and institutional events. It integrates next‑generation 3D radars, radiofrequency sensors, thermal and visible cameras, artificial intelligence algorithms and advanced soft‑kill and hard‑kill neutralization systems. The system enables the definition of dynamic priority and exclusion zones, alarm thresholds and integration with external agencies for alert categorization. In its high‑mobility vehicle‑mounted configuration, it can also operate within convoys, creating detection and protection bubbles against hostile drones while on the move and without the need to stop.
CROW has already demonstrated its effectiveness in real operations across different environments and domains. These include the protection of political summits and high‑level dignitaries, such as the NATO Summit in Madrid and the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the protection of delegates and heads of state at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, or the APEC 2024 Asia‑Pacific Summit in Lima, where the system operated continuously 24/7, automatically detecting, identifying and classifying 94 unauthorized drones entering the coverage area and neutralizing 61 that were flying too close or heading toward the Critical Protection Zone established by the authorities as part of a complex security operation.
The system is currently deployed to protect forces on the ground, including the protection of land troops in Mali, naval units operating as part of the European Union’s Operation Atalanta off the Horn of Africa, and bases and critical infrastructure in Lithuania in high‑threat environments.
A comprehensive protection proposal
This deployment in Chile also took place at a strategic moment for the aerospace and defense sector, ahead of FIDAE 2026—the region’s premier aerospace and defense exhibition—scheduled at Pudahuel Air Base from April 7 to 12. The six‑day event brings together companies, international delegations, professionals and the public to explore the latest innovations in civil and commercial aviation, defense, airport equipment and services, homeland security, aircraft maintenance and space technology, as well as cybersecurity and UAS fields. In this framework, Indra will strengthen its position with a focus on Space (with Hispasat), air‑surveillance radars, C‑UAS systems, unmanned platforms and advanced maintenance and support services (In‑Support Service), consolidating a comprehensive proposal for airspace and critical‑infrastructure protection.
Perimeter security and border control
Indra has a proven track record in the design and integration of radar, radiofrequency and electronic‑warfare technologies, as well as air‑defense systems and global command‑and‑control solutions aimed at strengthening security capabilities and ensuring operational continuity.
In the field of maritime and land border surveillance and the protection of critical infrastructure, the company has developed next‑generation solutions supported by technology‑transfer schemes to local industry that ensure sovereignty and autonomy over the system life cycle while contributing to national industrial development.
Such sovereignty is particularly relevant in the case of countering threats like drones, which evolve continuously and can render systems obsolete and ineffective. The CROW system incorporates high flexibility and adaptability which, combined with the support of a leading national company, ensures protection against highly dynamic threats and scenarios.