Drone Industry

AVPL International to invest Rs 15 cr for drone manufacturing unit in Bihar

AVPL International on Tuesday said it will set up a drone manufacturing facility in Bihar with an investment of Rs 15 crore. The new facility, which will be set up in an area of 16,000 sq ft in the Bihta Industrial Area, will have the capacity to produce up to 24,000 drones annually, the company said in a statement. "This project is more than just a manufacturing facility. It's a step towards empowering local communities, capacity building and fostering drone entrepreneurship," AVPL International Founder and Managing Director Preet Sandhuu said in a statement. The manufacturing facility is likely to generate employment opportunities for around 10,000 youth, including 200 in-house employees, the company added. Founded in 2016, AVPL International has expanded its reach to over 12 states and established over 70 skill and incubation hubs.

Here's how 1,000 days of Russia Ukraine conflict fuelled robot wars

In February, Ukrainian troops were already telling Reuters that the preponderance of Russian drones made it harder for them to move around freely and build fortifications

Drone startup Airbound raises $1.7 million funding, to focus on deliveries

Airbound will deploy its R&D efforts to initially focus on medical deliveries and then expand into other areas such as food and groceries

Drone seizures at Punjab border double to 'unprecedented' 200: BSF

Drone seizures along the International Border in Punjab have doubled to 200 as Pakistani syndicates continue to push narcotics and weapons to "destabilise" India by inducing drug addiction in the youth and "disintegrating" social harmony, the BSF said. With the recovery of four more drones in the last 24 hours, over 200 Pakistan-based rouge drones have been seized along this border, it said in a statement issued on Saturday. The BSF guards the 2,290 km of this border running on India's western flank, including 553 km of the front along Punjab. The IB also runs along Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir (LoC in Kashmir), Rajasthan and Gujarat. The force had seized a total of 107 drones at the Punjab border in 2023. The BSF said the almost doubled up drones seizure this year is a "significant landmark" and "remarkable milestone" that "reflects the force's enhanced anti-drone strategies and the deployment of advanced technical counter-measures along the border." BSF troops, as per the force, h

Marut Drones raises $6.2 million from Lok Capital in Series A funding

Marut Drones is also exploring disaster management and surveillance applications

TechEagle launches eight drone hubs with healthcare partners across India

Drone logistics firm TechEagle on Monday announced the launch of eight dedicated hubs in collaboration with the country's premier healthcare institutions across eight states. The dedicated drone hubs, inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week as part of Rs 12,850-crore multiple healthcare sector projects, will serve as critical points for rapidly deploying medical supplies, including essential medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic samples to underserved and hard-to-reach communities, TechEagle said in a statement. The eight dedicated facilities include hubs at AIIMS Guwahati, AIIMS Rishikesh, AIIMS Bilaspur, and AIIMS Bhopal, among others, it stated. With a targeted reach of over 200 locations across Assam, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh and others in the coming year, this initiative (of setting up dedicated hubs) will be a game changer for India's drone logistics landscapes, the company said. "Our drone trials with AIIMS reduced delivery times to just 20-30

Israel may use a secret stealth drone against Iran. Here's what we know

US reportedly investigating last week's leak of its highly classified intelligence about Israeli plans for retaliation against Iran's October 1 missile barrage

Total ban on drone imports to encourage local startups, says minister Naidu

Union Minister of Civil Aviation K Ram Mohan Naidu on Tuesday said India has totally banned the import of drones to encourage local talent to manufacture them. Addressing the two-day national drone summit at Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh, the Civil Aviation Minister noted that the government banned drone imports as it does not want some other country or company to benefit at the cost of India. We have banned the total import of drones, why did we do it? We want to encourage more startups to come in this drone sector. We want the people of this country to manufacture drones. We don't want to import drones and let the benefit go to some other country or some other company, said Naidu. According to the union minister, the government wants the young and bright minds of the country to develop new types of drones to cater to solutions which are indigenous to the country, so, with that mindset we banned imports. The aviation minister highlighted that the Centre has liberalised rules for the

India signs Rs 32,000-cr deal for 31 US Predator drones to counter China

As part of the deal, India and the US have also agreed to set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility for the 31 MQ-9B Predator armed drones in the country

QCI gives nod to National Test House Ghaziabad as drones certification body

Quality Council of India (QCI) has given provisional approval to National Test House (NTH), Ghaziabad, as a certification body for drones. NTH, Ghaziabad has been "provisionally approved by the Quality Council of India (QCI) as a certification body for type certification of drones", an official statement said on Tuesday. This is as part of the certification scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). This significant milestone aligns with the Government of India's push towards fostering a robust and globally competitive drone ecosystem under the Drone Rules 2021. In line with this responsibility, a team of auditors from NTH will visit Vimaana Aerospace Technologies, Noida, from 11th to 12th September 2024 for conducting a Stage-2 (onsite) assessment. "The purpose of this audit is to evaluate their D1 application for Krishiraj 1.0, an agricultural drone model designed to meet the specific needs of the farming sector," the statement said. This assessment is a crucial step towards .

India's first indigenous combat unmanned aircraft FWD 200B takes flight

The indigenous bomber drone's successful launch comes after setbacks with international suppliers, including Turkey's refusal to sell the Bayraktar UAV and a delay in the US Predator drone deal

China test-flies biggest cargo drone as low-altitude economy rises

China has already begun commercial deliveries by drone

Garuda Aerospace aims to sell 50,000 agri, consumer drones in coming years

Drone manufacturer Garuda Aerospace Pvt Ltd has inaugurated its first exclusive drone showroom in the city as it plans to sell 50,000 agricultural and consumer drones in the next few years. The city-based company, backed by cricket legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has served over 750 clients across the country. In a statement on Tuesday, the company said it has received the Directorate General of Civil Aviation approval for manufacturing of small and medium drones. "We pride ourselves on the impactful intelligence our drone solutions have to offer. We have 750 + satisfied clients all around India with 350 finished projects and 50 designed works. Our team includes 200 plus employees, with a group of advisory board members, expertise heads for various departments, and well-versed pilots," company CEO Agnishwar Jayaprakash said in the statement. "Garuda Aerospace has sold 2,500 drones so far, out of which 2,000 are agri drones. We plan to sell 25,000 agri-drones in the next two years and

Skye Air Mobility: Pioneering drone delivery in cities and remote areas

New Delhi-based tech start-up has transformed the concept of drone deliveries, with an impressive track record of two million successful deliveries

AI integration with drone tech to enhance capabilities, efficiency: Report

Integration of artificial intelligence with drone technology can enhance capabilities, efficiency, and operational intelligence, such as autonomous navigation, real-time data processing, and advanced analytics, a survey said. A recent survey conducted by Nexgen Exhibitions, the organisers of Drone International Expo, revealed that India's AI mission would significantly boost the growth of the Indian drone sector, a statement said on Wednesday. The survey reached out to more than 150 drone manufacturing and service-providing companies across 11 cities - Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Gurugram, and Coimbatore. Additionally, it highlighted the potential for India to become a global leader in drone technology and innovation, providing an overview of current trends, challenges, and future opportunities in the Indian drone sector. It stated that the India AI mission, an ambitious government initiative aimed at harnessing artificial ...

Coromandel increases stake in drone company Dhaksha; to invest Rs 150 crore

Coromandel will invest Rs 150 crore through a fresh issue of shares to increase its overall shareholding in Dhaksha to 58 per cent. Dhaksha, incorporated in 2019 and headquartered in Chennai

Drone Destination partners Iffco for spraying agri products on 3 mn acres

Drone company Drone Destination on Monday said it has signed an agreement with cooperative major IFFCO for spraying agricultural products on up to 30 lakh acres of farm land. According to company officials, under the agreement Drone Destination could get paid in the range of Rs 400 to Rs 800 per acre at prevailing market rates, implying that the deal will fetch a revenue of Rs 120 crore in the lower price band and up to Rs 240 at upper price band. "We have secured a mandate for agri spray over 30 lakh acres. The prevailing market rate of such agri spray is in the range of Rs 400-800 per acre depending upon the region and the crop," Drone Destination managing director and CEO Chirag Sharma said. As part of the agreement, Drone Destination will undertake drone spray in 12 states across the country. These states include Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand. "We are elated to partner wit

Drone strike in Baghdad kills high-ranking militia commander: Officials

A US drone strike hit a car in the Iraqi capital Wednesday night, killing three members of the powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia, including a high-ranking commander, officials said. The strike came on a main thoroughfare in the Mashtal neighborhood in eastern Baghdad. A crowd gathered as emergency response teams picked through the wreckage. A U.S. official familiar with the matter said that a senior Kataib Hezbollah commander was targeted in a U.S. strike on Wednesday in Iraq. The official was not authorized to comment publicly and requested anonymity. Two officials with Iran-backed militias in Iraq said that one of the three killed was Wissam Mohammed Abu Bakr al-Saadi, the commander in charge of Kataib Hezbollah's operations in Syria. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to journalists. The strike came amid roiling tensions in the region and days after the U.S. military launched an air assault on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria

TechEagle partners with 10 Aiims for fast medicine delivery via drones

Drone logistics company TechEagle on Monday said it has entered into collaborations with 10 AIIMS for the fast delivery of medicines. "TechEagle's nationwide impact is underscored by...collaborations with 10 AIIMS & INI's hospitals, swiftly implementing drone services and setting new range and speed records," the company said in a statement. In a significant trial, TechEagle transported a medical payload of up to five kilogram to rural primary health centres at AIIMS Rajkot and AIIMS Mangalagiri. "At TechEagle, we see a future where drones play a key role in solving India's healthcare challenges. The quick implementation of BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) drone delivery services in 10 AIIMS & INI's hospitals underlines our commitment to improving healthcare logistics for our country with safety and reliability," TechEagle founder and CEO Vikram Singh Meena said. TechEagle had earlier said its drone transported essential tuberculosis medicine in just 34 minutes. During its .

Partnership with India is one of most consequential relationships, says US

America's partnership with India is among the most consequential ones, the Biden administration said Thursday hours after it notified the Congress of its decision to sell 31 armed drones to India at an estimated cost of nearly USD 4 billion. "I would say that our partnership with India is one of our most consequential relationships. We work closely with India on our most vital priorities," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference. "We have had a close working relationship with the (outgoing Indian) ambassador (Taranjit Singh Sandhu), have been able to work with him on a number of those shared priorities, including the crucial role India plays in ensuring a free open Indo-Pacific that is connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient," Miller said. "We wish him well in his future endeavours and look forward to welcoming his replacement," he said. In response to a question, Miller said Secretary of State Antony Blinken has a close working