India’s EON Space Labs Unveils Germanium‑Free AI Imaging System for Next‑Gen ISR Missions

EON LUMIRA

Deep-tech startup EON Space Labs has launched an indigenously developed ultra-lightweight Germanium-free EO and infrared imaging system designed for advanced aerial Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Lumira_E40I50 was designed and engineered to eliminate reliance on germanium, a critical mineral for defence electronics and long-wave infrared imaging.

Designed and manufactured in India, Lumira bypasses the global germanium supply chain, riddled by ongoing export restrictions and price volatility. India is currently 100% import dependent, and geopolitically motivated trade restrictions have caused prices to shoot more than 3 times since mid-2023.

“We made a deliberate decision early to design and engineer a germanium-free infrared imaging system. By eliminating any dependence on its use for thermal imaging, we’ve developed a system that’s resilient not only to supply chain disruptions but also enables scalable, cost-effective domestic manufacturing,” said Sanjay Kumar, Co-founder of EON Space Labs.

Lumira delivers real-time Edge AI detection and classification capabilities that can detect humans from a distance of up to 2 kms and vehicles at 8 kms. The complete suite includes 40X optical zoom, a long-wave infrared (LWIR) thermal sensor, and gimbal. Weight as per specs ranges from 800g to 2.2kg, making it suitable as a plug and play payload for compact UAVs, drones, aerostats and eVTOLS, that engineered to MIL-STD-810H standards, and capable of performing in extreme temperatures from -20°C to +55°C.

 

Cofounders of EON Space Labs (Left to Right, Punit Badeka, Sanjay Kumar, Manoj Kumar Gaddam)

“Lumira is much easier to manufacture domestically at scale and has global export potential. The future of military-grade imaging relies on innovations that combine advanced performance, mission endurance, and payload flexibility, with a zero-compromise mindset on technological sovereignty," added Punit Badeka, Co-founder of EON Space Labs.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has forced Israel, accounting for almost 15% of India’s defence imports, to temporarily halt critical exports that include missiles, UAVs, radars, sensors, electro-optics and EW systems. EON Space Labs is also readying the launch of a ground-based ISR platform, named Raven, by mid-2026, to address the present-day reality of asymmetric warfare, driven by the threat of loitering munitions and kamikaze attack drones.