IAN Alpha Fund Leads $9M Round in Skye Air Mobility’s Drone Logistics Push

Ankit Kumar, Founder & CEO, Skye Air Mobility

• IAN Alpha Fund leads Series B investment round in Skye Air Mobility
• Funding of $9M is to fuel hyperlocal drone delivery expansion

IAN Group, the country’s single largest early-stage investment platform, has led the Series B investment round in Skye Air Mobility, a leading hyperlocal drone delivery platform, through IAN Alpha Fund, second in the series of IAN Group’s VC Funds. The round also saw participation from AVNM Ventures, Faad Capital, Bajaj Capital, and other prominent investors, underscoring strong market confidence in Skye Air's autonomous logistics capabilities and Physical AI Infrastructure.

IAN Alpha Fund invests in innovative startups and MSMEs solving real problems or those aligning with India’s strategic imperatives. This investment reflects its conviction in next-generation logistics infrastructure being built with deep-tech products.

India’s last-mile logistics market is currently estimated at $5.5 billion and projected to reach $10 billion by 2030. Drone-enabled delivery is expected to capture a meaningful share as delivery speed, efficiency, and sustainability become increasingly critical for e-commerce and quick commerce players.

Founded by Ankit Kumar, Skye Air Mobility is building one of India’s leading hyperlocal drone delivery networks. The company combines autonomous drones, intelligent airspace management, and ground-based delivery infrastructure to enable scalable and sustainable last-mile logistics. In just over 2 years of operations, the company has completed more than 3.6 million autonomous deliveries while eliminating over 1,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. This demonstrates how aerial logistics can complement traditional supply chains and significantly reduce delivery times in dense urban environments. Their drones are designed to carry payloads of up to 10 kilograms, enabling applications ranging from e-commerce deliveries and pharmaceuticals to industrial supply chains.

A key differentiator in Skye Air’s model is its network-driven delivery architecture, which integrates aerial drones with ground logistics through a hub-pod-walker system designed specifically for Indian urban environments. This hybrid approach recognizes that drones alone cannot solve last-mile delivery challenges but can dramatically improve efficiency when integrated with existing logistics systems This also ensures that there is no dramatic loss of jobs by leveraging technology, in this case, drones

Skye Air also focuses on high-volume e-commerce logistics, one of the most demanding segments in the supply chain ecosystem, which has helped stress-test its technology and operational capabilities. The company already works with multiple enterprise customers across e-commerce, quick commerce, healthcare, and supply chain sectors. Across these two sectors, they have a portfolio of marquee customers, including Blue Dart Express, Shiprocket, Flipkart, Frido, Tata 1MG, Zepto and others.

Ankit Kumar, Founder & CEO, Skye Air Mobility, said, “When we started Skye Air, I was told that autonomous drone delivery in India was more than a decade away. We have completed 3.6 million deliveries and saved over 1,000 tonnes of CO₂ in just over two years, and we are just getting started. This fundraise marks our transition from proving the model to scaling the infrastructure. The capital will go toward deepening our Physical AI stack, connecting autonomous drones, intelligent airspace management through Skye UTM, and AI-powered ground robotics into a single seamless delivery chain. India has a rare opportunity not just to adopt the global playbook on drone logistics, but to write it for the world.”

Rajnish Kapur, Managing Partner, IAN Alpha Fund, said: “Last-mile logistics in India is not just a speed challenge, it is a structural one. The real unlock lies in the infrastructure that enables reliable, scalable autonomous aerial delivery. What stood out with Skye Air is that Ankit and the team recognised this early and built an integrated system combining airspace management, a hub-pod-walker network, and a Physical AI logistics stack. With over 3.5 million deliveries completed in two years, the model is already proving itself. India has a real opportunity to set the global benchmark for autonomous logistics infrastructure, and we are excited to back Skye Air in building that future.”

With the new funding, Skye Air plans to start expanding its operations beyond Delhi-NCR into cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, while further strengthening its technology stack across drone operations, airspace management, and autonomous logistics systems.

About Skye Air Mobility:

Skye Air Mobility is India's leading hyperlocal drone delivery platform, redefining last-mile logistics through autonomous aerial intelligence. In just two years of operations, the company has completed over 3.6 million autonomous deliveries while eliminating more than 1,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, demonstrating that speed and sustainability are not a trade-off.

At the heart of Skye Air's operations is Skye UTM, a proprietary AI-powered aerial traffic management platform that serves as the command-and-control backbone for complex urban delivery networks. Skye UTM enables safe, scalable, and coordinated drone operations across dynamic airspace making high-density, multi-route deployments not just possible, but reliable. Skye Air's flagship delivery drones are engineered to carry payloads of up to 10 kg, purpose-built for the demands of modern commerce from pharmaceuticals and e-commerce to food and industrial supply chains.

As India charts its course toward a drone-powered future, Skye Air Mobility stands at the forefront building the infrastructure, intelligence, and operational trust that will define what aerial logistics looks like at scale.

About IAN Alpha Fund:

IAN Alpha Fund, a $100 Mn SEBI-registered Category II AIF VC Fund, is the 2nd fund in IAN Group’s series of funds. The Fund explores opportunities in diverse sectors such as healthtech, cleantech, deep tech, agritech, medtech, hardware and electronics, manufacturing, Web 3.0, Metaverse, Industry 4.0, SaaS, and other sectors where innovation is transformational. The Fund invests in innovative startups solving real problems for India and the world, with sustainable business models enabling scale by leveraging technology. With the IAN Alpha Fund, IAN Group continues its two-decade legacy of building a portfolio of technology-focused, innovative companies led by founders who not only understand customer needs but also have the leadership qualities to build large and valuable businesses.

About IAN Group:
IAN Group is India’s largest horizontal platform for early-stage investments, comprising the IAN Angel Fund, BioAngels, and a series of SEBI-registered Venture Capital Funds, the latest being a US$100mn VC Fund, IAN Alpha Fund. IAN enables entrepreneurs to raise from Rs. 50 lakhs to Rs. 50 crores, supported by high-quality mentoring by successful entrepreneurs, enabling access to global markets. IAN Group backs founders across domains and helps them scale their companies across India and beyond. Forbes has recognised IAN as one of the most iconic business and economic developments of Independent India over the last 75 years, alongside institutions such as LIC, NASSCOM, the RBI, and Naukri.com.

GVFL Backs insideFPV with ₹6 Crore Funding to Scale Indigenous Defence Drone Technology

GVFL, one of India’s pioneering venture capital firms, has led a Rs. 6 crore Pre-series A funding round in insideFPV, an indigenous defence drone technology startup, demonstrating its focus on backing high-impact, homegrown deep-tech ventures in the national security space.

The early-stage funding round is aimed at product development and capability building. It has enabled insideFPV to deepen its core engineering work, strengthen manufacturing readiness and advance its defence drone platforms, with a strong emphasis on reliability and operational performance in real-world battlefield conditions.

A significant portion of the capital is being invested in strengthening insideFPV’s core platforms, including FPV drones, kamikaze and surveillance systems, and interceptor drones. The startup is also expanding manufacturing capacity and building working capital to prepare its production lines for higher volumes while maintaining defence-grade consistency. Investment is also being made in rigorous testing and validation to ensure performance during demanding operating conditions, as well as deployment support such as FPV drone operator training, spares and rapid repair capabilities to ensure sustained field readiness.

Commenting on the investment, Mihir Joshi, Managing Director of GVFL, said, “insideFPV represents the kind of deep-tech, mission-driven entrepreneurship that India urgently needs in the defence space. The team has demonstrated a clear understanding of real operational requirements and has built strong in-house Tech capabilities We are pleased to support insideFPV as it scales indigenous and reliable drone platforms for national security.”

Founded in 2020 in the aftermath of the Galwan clash, insideFPV was established to address the critical lack of reliable, combat-ready, indigenous drone systems in India’s defence ecosystem. The company focuses on building battlefield-first drones designed to perform under pressure, rather than lab prototypes. Its platforms have already demonstrated performance in extreme environments, including high-altitude operations with the Indian Army. insideFPV was also the winner of the Him Dron-a-thon, a high-altitude drone competition organised by the Indian Army at an altitude of approximately 16,000–17,000 feet at Wari La Pass in Ladakh.

Arth Chowdhary, Co-Founder and CEO of insideFPV, said, “GVFL’s backing is a strong vote of confidence in our vision to build drones that actually work in real combat situations. This funding allows us to accelerate product development, scale our manufacturing readiness and ensure our platforms remain mission-ready. Our focus has always been to build trusted defence drones that soldiers can depend on when it matters most.”

With this fundraise, insideFPV plans to scale production and strengthen its product portfolio over the next 12 months. Over the next three to five years, it aims to emerge as a globally recognised Indian deep-tech defence drone manufacturer serving domestic and allied forces. The other Co-founders of insideFPV are Deyvant Bhardwaj, who serves as CTO, and Oshi Kumari (COO).

Zoho Invests in Drone Tech Startup Yali Aerospace

Sridhar Vembu promoted SaaS company Zoho Corporation has recently invested in Yali Aerospace, a Tamil Nadu-based drone technology startup. Yali Aerospace has developed a fixed-wing drone with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities.

The VTOL drone has range of up to 150 km and can carry a payload of up to 7 kg. The drone has Maximum Speed of 155 km/h. These drones address critical challenges, such as delivering medicines and organs to remote areas efficiently.

India's commercial drone market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.4% from 2020 to 2026. Increased investor interest in the drone space is evident, with recent developments like Google's subsidiary Wing LLC starting drone manufacturing in Tamil Nadu.

Sridhar Vembu, CEO of Zoho, announced the investment, in Yali Aerospace, on X (formerly Twitter). Zoho's investment in Yali Aerospace aligns with India's growing interest in drone technology startups. Yali's innovative solutions caught Zoho's attention, and this investment reflects their commitment to supporting cutting-edge Ventures.

 

Based out of Thanjavur, a city in Tamil Nadu, Yali Aerospace specializes in providing drone solutions for various applications, including – Medical: delivering medical supplies and organs, to remote hospitals using their drones; Surveillance: for monitoring and security purposes; Logistics: Yali's technology facilitates efficient logistics, including transportation of critical resources.

Yali Aerospace, the drone startup, was founded in 2022 by a husband-and-wife team, Dinesh Baluraj and Anugraha Ganeshan, along with Mathuravani. Yali Aerospace aims to build the future of aviation by leveraging cutting-edge technology and beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) experience.

Interestingly, Yali Aerospace offers flagship service called 'Yali Network Bridge', which aims to deliver medical supplies within 20 minutes across India. By establishing a drone-based delivery network, Yali contributes to seamless distribution of vital medical resources, ultimately improving healthcare outcomes.

Additionally, Yali's SkyBase (YNB) serves as a drone hub, connecting hospitals for transporting organs, medical supplies, and automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

Zoho's investment in Yali Aerospace comes at a time when the company is diversifying beyond its core business. Zoho has been investing in areas such as artificial intelligence, data centers, and now, drone technology.

Earlier, Zoho also invested in Saudi Arabia's digital infrastructure development and explored manufacturing hardware devices.

This investment by Zoho underscores the importance of innovation and technology in addressing critical challenges across various sectors. Yali Aerospace's work in the drone domain holds immense promise for healthcare, logistics, and surveillance applications.

Coromandel Acquires Additional 7% Stake in Drone Company Dhaksha; Invests INR 150 Cr

Coromandel Invests INR 150 crore in Dhaksha to Support Research & Expansion Projects

Coromandel International Limited, India's leading Agri solutions provider, through its wholly owned subsidiary Coromandel Technology Limited (CTL), announced acquisition of an additional 7% stake in Chennai-based drone manufacturing company Dhaksha Unmanned Systems Private Limited. Coromandel will invest INR 150 crores through fresh issue of shares to increase its overall shareholding in Dhaksha to 58%

Dhaksha, incorporated in 2019 and headquartered in Chennai, is a leading player in drone space in India, providing complete range of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) technology solutions across agriculture, defence, surveillance and enterprise applications. It also offers remote pilot training services (RPTO) and has trained several drone pilots to date.

In the last year, Dhaksha has bagged several orders from defence and agri input companies and its current order book stands at INR 265 crore. The company has recently expanded its production capacity with a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility established on the outskirts of Chennai. The proceeds from this fund-raise will help Dhaksha in strengthening its research & development efforts, cater to servicing large orders and meeting its working capital needs.

Commenting on the investment in Dhaksha, Mr Arun Alagappan, Executive Chairman, Coromandel International Ltd, said “Coromandel has been associated with Dhaksha right from its early startup stage and has been supporting the company on talent acquisition, R&D, and production scale-up. In the past one year, Dhaksha has strengthened its technological capabilities and has invested in research activities to develop new products & applications. This investment in Dhaksha aligns with Coromandel’s vision of diversifying in technology spaces and promoting technology adoption across various spheres. We remain committed to bringing in latest innovations in drones and enable Dhaksha to become a drone manufacturing major in the country.”

About Coromandel

Coromandel International Limited is amongst India's pioneers and leading Agri solutions provider, offering diverse products and services across the farming value chain. It operates in two major segments: Nutrient and other allied businesses and Crop Protection. These include Fertiliser, Crop Protection, Bio Products, Specialty Nutrients and Organic businesses. The Company is 2nd largest manufacturer and marketer of Phosphatic fertiliser in India. The Company's Crop Protection products are marketed in India as well as in international geographies, offering wide range of technical and formulation products. The Specialty Nutrients business of the Company focuses on water soluble fertiliser and secondary & micronutrients segments. The Company is leading marketer of Organic fertiliser in India. The Bio Products business of the company focusses on plant extractions for various applications. It also operates a network of around 750+ rural retail outlets across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Through these Retail outlets, the Company offers farming services including crop advisory, soil testing and farm mechanization to around 3 million farmers. The Company has a strong R&D and Regulatory setup, supporting the businesses in process development and new product introduction. The Company has 18 manufacturing facilities, producing wide range of Nutrient and Crop Protection products, which are marketed through an extensive network of dealers and its own retail centers.

The Company clocked a turnover of Rs.22,290 Crores during FY2023-24. Its efforts towards environment have been well recognized by international organizations like UNDP and has also been voted as one of the ten greenest companies in India by TERI. Coromandel is a part of the INR 742 billion (INR 74,220 Crores) of the Murugappa Group.

For more details, visit www.coromandel.biz

About Murugappa Group

A 123-year-old conglomerate with presence across India and the world, the INR 742 billion Murugappa Group has diverse businesses in agriculture, engineering, financial services and more.

The Group has 9 listed companies under its umbrella — Carborundum Universal Limited, CG Power & Industrial Solutions Limited, Cholamandalam Financial Holdings Limited, Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Company Limited, Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Limited, Coromandel International Limited, EID Parry (India) Limited, Shanthi Gears Limited, Tube Investments of India Limited and Wendt India Limited. Brands such as Ajax, Hercules, BSA, Montra, Montra Electric, Mach City, Gromor, Paramfos, Parry’s are part of the Group’s illustrious stable.

Abrasives, technical ceramics, electro minerals, electric vehicles, auto components, fans, transformers, signalling equipment for railways, bicycles, fertilisers, sugar, tea and several other products make up the Group’s business interests.

Guided by the five lights — integrity, passion, quality, respect and responsibility — and a culture of professionalism, the Group has a workforce of over 73,000 employees.

For more details, visit www.murugappa.com

MS Dhoni-Backed Drone Startup Garuda Aerospace Raises ₹ 25 Cr in a Fresh Bridge Round led by Venture Catalysts and WeFounderCircle

The Garuda Kisan Drone, unveiled at Manalurpet IFFCO PACCS in Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu, is revolutionizing #Agriculture by providing farmers with precision crop monitoring, pest control, and crop spraying capabilities. [Image – Garuda@X] 

Garuda Aerospace, India’s leading and most valuable drone company backed by former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has successfully raised Rs. 25 crores in a fresh bridge round of funding led by Venture Catalysts, India’s first integrated incubator and a leading investor for early-stage and WeFounderCircle. The funding round witnessed commitments from other notable investors, including Hems Angels, San Angels, Peaceful progress funds, and several prominent angel investors, which collectively capped out the funding round.

Expressing his gratitude for the strong support from investors, Founder CEO Agnishwar Jayaprakash, said, “We are thrilled and honored by the overwhelming support from our investors and the investment community. This fresh capital infusion will play a crucial role in accelerating our growth and enhancing our capabilities to meet the escalating market demand. With the continued backing of esteemed investors and the endorsement of MS Dhoni, we are confident in our mission to revolutionize the drone technology sector in India.”

“We are excited to lead this Series A extension for Garuda Aerospace, an innovative company that is transforming the drone technology landscape in India. Garuda's strong commitment to delivering cutting-edge drone solutions, combined with their impressive market share in the Precision Agri Drone industry, demonstrates their potential for significant growth. We believe that this investment will not only strengthen Garuda's position as a market leader but also revolutionize the way drones are utilized across various sectors, ultimately benefiting India's tech ecosystem and agriculture industry,” Dr Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, Founder and Managing Director at Venture Catalysts ++, stated.

The funds secured through this bridge round will be primarily utilized to address the sudden demand for drone solutions. The company will allocate the funds towards working capital requirements, ensuring seamless execution of the IFFCO drone order and fulfilling the pre-booked orders from numerous dealers across the country. Recently, Garuda Aerospace has achieved remarkable milestones, including a strategic partnership with IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited) for a drone order of 400 units and an impressive pre-booking of total 10,000 drones from 700 dealers across the country. These groundbreaking developments have resulted in a sudden surge in demand for the company innovative drone solutions in recent times.

Founded in 2015 by Agnishwar Jayaprakash, an alumnus of Harvard Business School and a former Asian gold medalist, Garuda Aerospace is revolutionizing the drone industry with its asset-light, recession-proof, and unit-economic-focused business model. The company not only designs and manufactures precision agriculture drones but also empowers rural entrepreneurs through an uberized ecosystem, making a positive impact on the lives of farmers. With a solid order book and a first-mover advantage in the agricultural drone segment, Garuda Aerospace has secured an impressive 55% market share in the $3 billion Precision Agri Drone industry. The overall drone industry, estimated at $7 billion, continues to see remarkable growth.

About Venture Catalysts

Venture Catalysts is India’s 1st integrated incubator for startups. It combines capital, mentoring and network for startups and has a presence in 47 cities across India with international presence in UAE, HK, UK, USA, Canada and Singapore. Venture Catalysts invests in the range of INR 2 - 15 crores per startup through a network of HNIs, Family Offices, CXOs, etc.

Okulo Aerospace Secures $1 Million in Funding to Advance Long Endurance Drone Technology

Okulo Aerospace, a leading innovator in the field of long endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), announced today that it has successfully raised $1 million in a funding round led by Ideaspring Capital with participation from Java Capital, Coimbatore Innovation and Business Incubator (Forge Innovation & Ventures), and a group of angels from Rockfort Ventures.

The capital infusion will be instrumental in supporting Okulo Aerospace's strategic growth initiatives, including product development, team expansion, and establishing early traction with customers through targeted marketing and sales initiatives.

Commenting on the funding, Dr. Parithi Govindaraju, Founder & CEO, Okulo Aerospace said, "As the drone market evolves, we recognize the growing significance of long endurance drones and persistent aerial monitoring. At Okulo Aerospace, we are at the forefront of this transformation, developing cutting-edge aerial vehicles that enable extended flights and continuous data acquisition. Our innovative solutions are designed to cater to the needs of both enterprise and defense sectors, providing them with invaluable insights for informed and accelerated decision making."

With the ability to harness persistent aerial data acquisition, Okulo Aerospace's solutions have the potential to revolutionize various industries. By optimizing operations, enhancing situational awareness, and aiding in critical defense operations, their aerial vehicles enable stakeholders to make informed decisions with speed and precision.

"We are committed to pioneering the future of aerial intelligence and shaping the landscape of tomorrow," Dr. Parithi Govindaraju added. "Together with our partners, investors, and the supportive regulatory framework in India, we are confident in our ability to lead the way in this dynamic and transformative industry."

The progressive drone regulatory policies in India have played a pivotal role in propelling Okulo Aerospace's endeavors forward. The company acknowledges the support of its investors.

“What sets Okulo Aerospace apart is the long-endurance aspect of their drones, which they have achieved through their proprietary solar-electric propulsion technology and design. With a flight time of over 6 hours, their UAVs collect more data, providing an unparalleled advantage in sectors that require persistent monitoring, such as Oil & Gas and Ports. Additionally, they are focusing on the defense sector, offering drones specifically designed for long-distance surveillance. With Parithi's deep experience in this space and his team's expertise, they are uniquely positioned to bring this innovation to the drone industry.” Naganand doraswamy, Managing Partner & Founder, Ideaspring Capital. 

"Okulo Aerospace is uniquely positioned at the convergence of cost-efficient UAVs with enhanced monitoring capabilities and clean energy-powered pseudo-satellites. Okulo Aerospace has the ability to offer asset-light solutions to its customers by providing valuable processed data. Furthermore, Okulo Aerospace’s long endurance drones have the potential to evolve into High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS), positioning them to play a pivotal role in advanced communication systems. We are excited to support Okulo Aerospace as they drive innovation in the aerospace industry" Bhargavi V, Partner, Java Capital. 

In addition to the funding, Okulo Aerospace has been recognized as a winner of the Innovation for Defense Excellence (iDEX) challenge organized by the Defence Innovation Organization, Ministry of Defense, India. The company has also achieved a remarkable feat by attaining a flight time of over 6 hours with its UAV, positioning it as the longest flight time in its class.

About Okulo Aerospace

Okulo Aerospace specializes in the design and development of Long Endurance UAVs, aiming to radically improve aerial data acquisition and provide persistent monitoring solutions to enterprise and defense customers. With a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability through advancements in its proprietary solar-electric propulsion technology and design, Okulo Aerospace's UAVs offer extended flight times and unparalleled perspectives, allowing customers to explore the world from new vantage points while contributing to a greener, more sustainable future.

Plug-n-Play FPV Drone Maker InsideFPV Raises 2.75 Crores in Seed Round Led By Inflection Point Ventures

• InsideFPV is a pioneering Indian company in the drone industry that offers innovative FPV technology and affordable, safe, and secure drones
• The funds will be utilized for Product Development, Marketing and Research
• Recently InsideFPV Drones have been procured by the Indian Army and few other ongoing drone trials
• Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) has so far invested over INR 550 Cr across 170+ deals

InsideFPV, Drone Manufacturer has raised Rs 2.75 Crores in a Seed Round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The funds will be utilized for product development, marketing and research.

Currently the company aims to capture the consumer drone space, followed by agricultural and defence space in the coming quarters. Their drones are compact, robust and agile which starts from INR 2800 onwards to cater to different use cases. The company was also featured in Shark Tank India, making it to be the first drone company to feature on the show.

Rahul Wagh, Managing Director, Inflection Point Ventures, says, “Drone usage in India is fast increasing with higher adoption through wider use cases across different industries. With the drone industry already attracting private investments, India is set to become a global drone hub by 2030 supported by favourable Government initiatives such as a strong Make in India push, ban on import of drones, PLI schemes for drone manufacturing and opening of airspace by adding new green zones for drones amongst others."

While drones are majorly used in the commercial, military and agricultural applications, they are an expensive device to own. InsideFPV, with its innovative technology, aims to bridge this gap by offering one of its kind Plug and Fly FPV (First Person View) feature rich drones to the consumers at an affordable price point. We at IPV have always been in the forefront to support such innovative companies and look forward to extending our strategic guidance to scale the business".

InsideFPV is a company with a strong technical knowledge, backed by a young and dynamic team driven by their passion for drones. The Company stands out by offering cost-effective products that are specifically designed to be resistant to crashes, ensuring durability and longevity of drones for their customers.

InsideFPV boasts a talented leadership team at its helm. Arth Chowdhary, the Founder- CEO, holds a BTech degree in Mechanical Engineering and spearheads the overall strategic direction of the company. Deyvant Bhardwaj, the CTO, holds a BTech degree in Electrical and Electronics and brings a strong technical background to the company. Oshi Kumari, the COO, holds a BTech degree in Mechanical Engineering and is India’s first FPV woman drone pilot qualifying for international drone races and provides expertise in operational efficiency. Together, this dynamic trio combines their technical knowledge and business acumen to drive Inside FPV's success.

Arth Chowdhary,Founder & CEO, InsideFPV says, “The IPV team's efficiency during the investment process was remarkable; they worked quickly and seamlessly with our team to close the round. We were impressed with their dynamic pace and ability to keep up with the fast-moving timeline."

InsideFPV's low-cost drones allow users to see and operate a drone as if they were sitting inside it using a real time headset and radio controller.

Deyvant Bhardwaj, Co-founder, elaborated on their main business segment, saying, "In the consumer sector, we aim to empower clients with state-of-the-art drones that bring adrenaline, excitement, and convenience to people's lives." Our FPV drones are built to capture breathtaking aerial footage, give exhilarating adventures, and deliver an unparalleled user experience. We are proud to be the first firm in India to offer plug-and-fly FPV drones with advanced capabilities and FPV technology. "They have also created drones with enhanced sensors and imaging capabilities for agricultural and military uses. Farmers will be able to monitor crop health and spot pests and diseases as a result of this and use data to make data-driven decisions to maximise yields, thus contributing to a more sustainable and efficient agricultural ecosystem."

They are creating drones specifically tailored for long-range missions in the defence sector. These drones will be equipped with cutting-edge technologies such as cargo-on-cargo capabilities, allowing for effective scouting and mission execution in distant and constrained areas. Working with the well-known Netherlands’ based drone bird company via ISB Hyderabad ensures that they have the best ideas and knowledge in this industry.

InsideFPV garnered notable recognition within the startup community, when it was honoured as the First Runners Up in the Shiprocket Aarambh competition and recognised as one of the top 100 developing global startups at the TIE Global Summit 2022. InsideFPV has also won the most promising drone startup by the Times Group and Ivy Growth Associates further solidifying their position as a promising and successful startup in the industry.

InsideFPV has been recognised by the Government of India as a startup under the Robotics Industry by Startup India.

About InsideFPV

InsideFPV was founded in July 2020 and currently they are serving the consumer segment with ongoing trials for the defence and agriculture segments. It is India's First Company to provide plug and fly FPV drones to be featured on Shark Tank India Season 2.

About Inflection Point Ventures & Physis Capital

Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) is an angel investing platform with over 8600 CXOs, HNIs, and Professionals to together invest in startups. The firm supports new-age entrepreneurs by providing them with monetary & experiential capital and connecting them with a diverse group of investors. IPV has announced the launch of a $50 million CAT 2 AIF Physis Capital to invest in pre-Series A to Series B growth-stage start-ups.

 

TSAW Drones signs an MOU with DE Drone World Solutions at Aero India 2023

The MOU signifies the beginning of a new partnership between TSAW Drones and DE Drone World Solutions and outlines their commitment to working together to develop and promote innovative drone solutions for a range of industries.

Drone tech startup TSAW has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DE Drone World Solutions on the 15th of February, 2023 at Asia's biggest air show Aero India 2023 during the Manthan Event. The MOU signifies the beginning of a new partnership between TSAW Drones and DE Drone World Solutions and outlines their commitment to working together to develop and promote innovative drone solutions for a range of industries.

Under the terms of the agreement, TSAW Drones will provide DE Drone World Solutions with access to its cutting-edge drone technology, as well as its extensive expertise and experience in the field. DE Drone World Solutions, on the other hand, will contribute their in-depth knowledge of the industry, along with their established network of clients and partners, to help TSAW expand its market reach and improve overall capabilities.

Kishan Tiwari, Founder & CEO, TSAW Drones said “We have built an impressive rapport with the team DE Drone at Aero India and are greatly impressed with their technology acumen and the robust client relationships that they’ve built. We are convinced that as we work together under the same framework, we will continue to discover great synergies in our respective platforms and bring novel breakthroughs to market for our potential consumers. Moreover, the MOU exemplifies our willingness to work for an Atmanirbhar Bharat as well as to promote best-in-class drones for surveillance, agriculture, logistics, and security.”

MOU Signing — Mr Kishan Tiwari Founder & CEO, TSAW Drones, Mr Satish Kumar MD, De Drone World Solutions

“Drone utilities are one of the hottest booming technology segments, with the potential to add tremendous value to industries such as security, agriculture, manufacturing, retail, and logistics. The collaboration with TSAW Drones comes at the right time as we are gearing up to combine our extensive industry knowledge to advance drone-based solutions in India. I personally have a high regard for the business that they have set up and I am eager to develop the best possible solution with them for our corporate clients,” said Satish Kumar, Managing Director, DE Drone World Solutions Pvt Ltd

DE Drone World is an entrepreneurial venture led by a team of aviation experts from the Indian armed forces and enthusiastic young technocrats with a strong interest in drones. They also run two RPTOs in Tamil Nadu in collaboration with IGRUA. TSAW Drones is a leading drone logistics service provider in India, working to enable seamless connectivity across the nation by combining Drones and EVs for on-demand cargo logistics. One of the companies under the TSAW umbrella, DRONECO, specializes in employing drones to provide logistics services.

DRONECO, the logistics arm from TSAW takes pride in providing clients with innovative logistics solutions that meet Indian and global standards. DRONECO recently commenced operations in Kolkata with Tata 1mg, providing them with its hub-to-hub delivery service. The strategic partnership enables Tata 1mg to promptly and efficiently deliver critical medical supplies to remote and difficult-to-reach areas. Hub-to-hub delivery is one of DRONECO’s most recent services which it accomplishes by utilizing advanced drone technology to deliver end-to-end logistics solutions that are fast, dependable, and cost-effective.

About TSAW:

Founded in 2019, by Kishan and Rimanshu, TSAW (Technit Space and Aero Works) is a drone technology company with a vision to facilitate industries by the introduction of drone-based tech solutions. The brand is headquartered in IIT Delhi. All these drones are operated on lithium batteries with Zero Carbon Emission. DRONECO is one of the brands under TSAW’s umbrella which is focused on providing logistics services using drones. All the drones are powered by TSAW’s propriety Drone Cloud Intelligence System (DCIS), a cloud-based autopilot, which performs jobs like automatic path planning, drone traffic deconfliction and predictive health management & recovery, hence reducing the downtime to approximately Zero mins between flights and providing better operational efficiency.

DroneTech Startup TSAW Drones Launched its "Made In India" Drone Hybrid Fixed Wing VTOL (Adarna V2) at Aero India 2023

Mr. Kishan Tiwari, Founder & CEO of TSAW Drones, at Adarna V2 Launch

Adarna V2 has the proficiency to fly up to the ceiling height of 3500m with up to 8kg weight

Delhi-NCR headquartered Drone tech startup TSAW Drones launched its Made-In-India drone – Hybrid Fixed Wing VTOL (Adarna V2) at Aero India 2023. The 14th edition of Aero India takes place between the 13th to the 17th of February at the Air Force Station in Yelahanka, Bengaluru. The biennial Airshow was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi and attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with several Defence ministers from different countries.

The available Drones have many applications, but they are limited by their short travel times and confined lifting capacities. Adarna V2 is designed intelligently to address these shortcomings, with its ability to fly for 100 minutes and cover a distance of 120 kilometres in a single flight. Adarna V2 has the proficiency to fly up to a ceiling height of 3500m and carry a heavy weight of up to 8kg. Additionally, the drone has wind resistance grade 5 (8.5-10.5m/s), allowing it to fly even in high-wind conditions and fulfil the requirements of e-commerce platforms, armed forces, medical suppliers, farmers, and others.

On the launch of the new Drone, Kishan Tiwari, Founder & CEO, TSAW Drones affirmed, “After working diligently to design and build its technology from the scratch and securing the pertinent regulatory approvals, we are thrilled to unveil Hybrid Fixed Wing VTOL (Adarna V2) at Aero India 2023. We intend to demonstrate its uncanny prowess to traverse complex terrains in order to carry cargo and operations to locations where conventional commuting would take hours or even days. Adarna V2 is engineered to fulfil a slew of underlying challenges in a wide range of industries, including streamlining access to healthcare in remote rural areas, faster hyperlocal & e-commerce distribution, optimizing & monitoring crop growth, and, most importantly, delivering reconnaissance & surveillance solutions for security apparatus. With TSAW and our just-launched logistics arm DRONECO, we aspire to take the flight of drone innovation, technology & manufacturing to a horizon which can en route us on the map of becoming world’s top drone company and making India a global drone hub.”

TSAW follows level 5 automation for their drone operations. This overcomes human discrepancies in Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. Furthermore, the health of the drone is transmitted in real-time with the drone operator via TSAW’s in-house developed Un-piloted Aerial Vehicle Traffic Management system (UTM). The drone can be switched from autopilot to manual mode in an emergency. This adds an extra layer of safety to the operations TSAW undertakes.

About TSAW:

Founded in 2019, by Kishan and Rimanshu, TSAW (Technit Space and Aero Works) is a drone technology company with a vision to facilitate industries by the introduction of drone-based tech solutions. The brand is headquartered in IIT Delhi. All these drones are operated on lithium batteries with Zero Carbon Emission. DRONECO is one of the brands under TSAW’s umbrella which is focused on providing logistics services using drones. All the drones are powered by TSAW’s propriety Drone Cloud Intelligence System (DCIS), a cloud-based autopilot, which performs jobs like automatic path planning, drone traffic deconfliction and predictive health management & recovery, hence reducing the downtime to approximately Zero mins between flights and providing better operational efficiency.

To learn more about TSAW please visit https://tsaw.tech/

Delhi Based Drone Tech Startup TSAW to Participate in Aero India 2023

• At the event, TSAW will demonstrate its cutting-edge drone manufacturing technology
• Drone Tech startup has its R&D department at IIT Delhi Campus

Drone Tech startup TSAW has announced its participation in Aero India 2023 which will begin 13th of this month. The 14th edition will be held at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, Bengaluru from 13-17th February. The biennial airshow will be inaugurated by the honorable PM Modi and graced by the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

At the event, TSAW will demonstrate its cutting-edge drone manufacturing technology alongside 737 exhibitors who have signed up to take part in the event. The mission statement of TSAW is to provide cutting-edge technology and create a make in India Drone Manufacturing brand, it is also committed to providing clean and secure logistics solutions. TSAW is building the Mule and Kamakaze drones for the industry.

Rimanshu Pandey, Co-Founder and CTO, TSAW said, “TSAW brings a spectrum of drone technologies and digitalized solutions and services based on modern technology, ranging from industrial drone automation to drones used for surveillance, security, and logistics. As India races towards Amrit Kaal, meaningful R&D across industries is extremely essential. The reason why TSAW always strived to be at the forefront of drone innovation at the national and grassroots levels. Our recently launched logistics arm DRONECO is also committed to bring the innovation in logistic industry with its innovative approach. Moreover, we are extremely thrilled to be a part of Aero India 2023 and to have a solid platform to showcase our wide application of product portfolio.”

According to the Aero India website, 643 of the 737 exhibitors are from India, while the remaining 94 come from 30 different countries. The five-day event will also include a significant aerospace and defence trade show as well as an aerial display by the Indian Air Force.

The Aero India event intends to offer a unique opportunity for the exchange of knowledge, concepts, and innovations in the aviation industry. The participation of international think tanks in addition to major aerospace investors and world leaders will help the “Make in India" movement and boost the local aviation sector.

As part of the multi-day program, TSAW will be meeting prospective clients, talent and collaborators.

About TSAW:

Founded in 2019, by Kishan and Rimanshu, TSAW (Technit Space and Aero Works) is a drone technology company with a vision to facilitate industries by the introduction of drone-based tech solutions. The brand is headquartered in IIT Delhi. All these drones are operated on lithium batteries with Zero Carbon Emission. DRONECO is one of the brands under TSAW’s umbrella which is focused on providing logistics services using drones. All the drones are powered by TSAW’s propriety Drone Cloud Intelligence System (DCIS), a cloud-based autopilot, which performs jobs like automatic path planning, drone traffic deconfliction and predictive health management & recovery, hence reducing the downtime to approximately Zero mins between flights and providing better operational efficiency.

To learn more about TSAW please visit https://tsaw.tech/


To Follow

Website: https://tsaw.tech/

LinkedIn TSAW - https://www.linkedin.com/company/tsawdrones-india/

Twitter - @DronesTsaw

LinkedIn Mr. Kishan Tiwari - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kishan-thedroneco/
LinkedIn Mr. Rimanshu Pandey- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rimanshu-pandey-tsaw/

T-Hub and AWS Support 10 Startups for India’s First Drone-Tech Accelerator Program

Over 300 applications received for India’s First Drone-Tech Accelerator Program, organised by Telangana State Innovation Cell, T-Hub, AWS, and Intel

T-Hub, an innovation hub and startup community enabler, which leads entrepreneurs’ success through effective global collaborations, has announced the selection of 10 startups for the AWS-Intel Innovation Pod for Drone-tech Accelerator program, India’s first-ever accelerator program focused on drone technology. The accelerator program – organised by T-Hub and Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC), with support from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Intel – received over 300 applications from startups focused on drone technology across India, including from New Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.

The accelerator program began in July 2022, empowering startups with the tools and skills needed to drive the adoption of drone technology in India. The program aims to address specific use cases like 360-degree aerial surveys, live recording feed, and geospatial analysis in sectors like defence, space, national security, healthcare, public safety, transportation, transit, citizen engagement, agriculture, amongst others. Ten startups, focused on drone-tech solutions were shortlisted by T-Hub for this program – 10 Infinite, Akin Analytics, Daybest Research, Drogo Drones, Indrones, Oplus Innovation, Senseacre Labs, Vecros Technologies, Vyomik Drones, and Yaralava Technologies.

MSR, CEO of T-Hub, said, “The rise of drone tech startups has increased in India over the last three years, and we believe that if entrepreneurs are passionate about drone tech are supported now, India can take the leading number 1 position for in this space in the future. T-Hub has helped equip entrepreneurs to create new jobs, market their products and solutions, and generate funding. Through the AWS-Intel Innovation Pod for Drone drone Accelerationacceleration, we will stay focused on supporting startups in the drone tech space with multiple elements like product design leveraging technical and subject matter advisory from AWS, go-to-market strategies and investment pitches.

Dr. Shanta Thoutam, Chief Innovation Officer to Telangana, said, "The AWS-Intel Drone Tech Innovation Pod for Drone Tech stands as a testimony to the community that is truly inclusive in supporting startups from various sectors. TSIC is elated to collaborate with T-Hub to enable connections across government departments for cohort startups to work on public sector challenges. We also successfully facilitated more than 10 startup-government interactions resulting in two pilot procurement orders to date, and will continue to support and connect more startups with relevant government departments. We believe that when government departments and startups work together to address a problem, the impact on society can be multiplied."

Deepti Dutt, Head of Strategic Initiatives - Public Sector at AWS India and South Asia, said, “We are delighted to support the Telangana government with the AWS-Intel Drone Tech Innovation Pod to nurture India’s startups that are solving public sector issues across the subcontinent using drone technology. Our program AWS Startup Ramp supports startups through better adoption of AWS technologies, cloud credits, mentorship and customer outreach to rapidly innovate and scale. We are happy to help India’s drone startups accelerate and achieve impactful outcomes in this emerging field.”

The selected startups have been given various opportunities, including a chance to pitch to several program partners for paid or unpaid pilots across multiple use cases like enhanced surveillance, crop health management, and parking management. Additionally, the startups were given mentorship and training in product design development, sales conversion, branding, pitch refinement, and financial modelling. The selected startups were also given direct access to the AWS Startup Ramp Program and offered AWS Promotional Credits to access AWS technologies and services.

The five-month-long accelerator program also provided startups with access to workspace, and support from value partners during the ideation phase, and grassroot level stakeholder interactions to refine their innovations with the support of a comprehensive curriculum, expert guidance, and market scaling opportunities. The startups also received the opportunity to co-create proof of concepts (POCs) for state and local governments, finding new use cases for their products and drone solutions.

Startups were mentored by certified industry mentors, including Manoj Badagharwala, Founder of Badagharwala Technologies Pvt Ltd; Vijetha Shastry, Associate Director at Dexter Capital; Rathnakar Samavedam, Investment Director & CEO of Hyderabad Angels; Santosh Sharma, Founder of Bookmyjet; Aneel Mitra, CEO of Biz Credence; Verdentum, an impact assessment consulting firm; The Philosopher’s Stone – brand consulting firm; and Anthill ventures – an investment and scaling platform. 

The closing event of the program was attended by leaders from AWS, Intel, selected startups, and government officials, including Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Information Technology (IT), Government of Telangana, various stakeholders, and other dignitaries at T-Hub.

T-Hub’s programs have been successfully scaling startups in collaboration with a strong ecosystem of partners. To date, T-Hub has impacted over 1,800 startups in India through programs and initiatives like investment opportunities, sector specific accelerators, innovation challenges, access to corporate memberships, and has over 600 global and national corporate partners to support startup networking and interactions, while providing 2,000 mentor connections to help startups scale.

Rahul Pinnamaneni, Founder of Drogo Drones, said, “All the stakeholders spent a good time mentoring the startups and helped us scale faster. TSIC and T-Hub connected us with various departments that were really helpful. They opened doors for us that usually take longer to open.”

Devesh Jha, Founder of Daybest Research, said, “We got deep insights into operations, implementation, and execution of ideas. The journey from prototype to market and then spinning the same for the next step was taught by mentors. The team was cooperative and helped us grow and improve in every aspect of the business.”

Janaki P, Founder of Akin Analytics, said, “Startups’ journeys are risky and full of unknowns, and startup founders are in the business of convincing everyone that they are going to be a big success. The Drone Accelerator Program by T-Hub, AWS, and TSIC is an excellent DeepTech program for any startup in this sector. We were connected to relevant mentors and gained many insights from them in designing our startup roadmap and finances. We were also connected to stakeholders like the state governments who supported our pilot projects, including the Ganesh Visarjan Event of Telangana.”

ABOUT T-HUB

T-Hub (Technology Hub) is an innovation hub and ecosystem enabler. Based in Hyderabad, India, T-Hub leads India’s pioneering innovation ecosystem and is the world’s largest innovation campus. Over the six years, T-Hub has pivoted around the 6Ms (Mentorship, Money, Market Access, Motivation, Mindset, Manpower) and 2Ps (Partnerships & Policy advisory) framework with a mission of driving results and collaboration for entrepreneurs’ success. It has delivered 100+ innovation programs so far, creating an impact for startups, corporations, and other innovation ecosystem stakeholders.  Since inception, it has provided over 2000 national and international startups with access to better technology, talent, mentors, customers, corporates, investors, and government agencies. 

For more information about T-Hub, visit www.t-hub.co.

About Telangana State Innovation Cell

Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC) is an initiative of the Information Technology, Electronics & Communications Department, Government of Telangana. TSIC was set up in 2017 under the State Innovation Policy with a vision to build and nurture the Culture of Innovation in Telangana. Today, it acts as the first response of the State Government for identified innovators, startups, entrepreneurs, and innovation catalysts to foster an inclusive innovation ecosystem. TSIC is driven by three mandates.

To build a culture of innovation from the school age, To foster innovation within the Government and Administration, and To promote the culture of innovation in the State.

Pune-based Drone Services Provider DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations Expands Operations in SE Asia

DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations Limited, an Indian drone service provider and DGCA - certified drone pilot training organization, today announced that it is commencing operations in Thailand, in association with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). The partnership will pave the way for the company into the Southeast Asian market. The primary goal of the collaboration with AIT is to co-develop projects involving Drones and GIS in Thailand and the surrounding countries.

 

DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations signed an MOU with Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, attended by Prateek Srivastava - Founder & MD and Marcia Chen - Sr. Manager - BD & Sales from DroneAcharya, and Prof. Dieter Trau - Dean of School of Engineering and Technology & Director of AIT Entrepreneurship Center and Ranadheer Mandadi - Program Officer from Special Degree Program Office from AIT.

While DroneAcharya's initial focus is on the Indian market, the company will also be expanding into other countries, including the Middle East, the United States, Central Asia as well as Southeast Asia. As part of its strategy to expand across Europe and capture the market there, DroneAcharya is introducing a series of training courses centered on drones. Moreover, DroneAcharya is India’s First Drone Start - up to be listed on the BSE SME platform.

Drones are becoming increasingly integral to the optimization of operations across a wide range of businesses. Together with AI, the data they collect and analyze from a bird's-eye view are transforming the ways in which businesses examine, survey, and map the ground, buildings, and crops below. The worldwide Drone market was worth $11.45 billion in 2016, and it is projected to reach $51.85 billion by 2025. It's clear from these figures that the Southeast area, along with other countries in the world, has enormous growth potential. In nations like Thailand, there is a huge potential for expansion in terms of GIS, Development, AI / ML, Drones etc. The projects carried out in partnership will generate employment for Drone pilots, GIS experts, Engineers, and GIS Developers.

"Drones and geographic information systems (GIS) are two examples of cutting-edge technologies finding widespread use across a number of sectors. By providing limitless new opportunities from previously unfeasible viewpoints, they are revolutionizing the old methods. DroneAcharya and AIT are teaming together to break into the Thai and Southeast Asian markets with drone and GIS-related co-development projects. We are planning to launch shortly and have some initiatives in the works." says Prateek Srivastava, Managing Director at DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations Limited.

Drone Delivery Tech Company Skye Air Mobility Raises $1.7 Mn to Fuel its Growth, Led by Chiratae Ventures

Skye Air Mobility raises ~USD 1.7 million to fuel its growth, led by Chiratae Ventures

To scale its drone delivery operations

Skye Air Mobility, India’s leading drone delivery technology company, announced the completion of its Seed Round, of ~ USD 1.7 million, led by Chiratae Ventures. The round also saw participation from Lead Angels, O2 Angels, Agility Ventures, Lets Venture and several marquee investors including Rajeev Chitrabhanu, Ankit Nagori, Varun Alagh, Gautam Badalia, Ayush Lohia and others.

India is an attractive market for drone start-ups as the country is very progressive with respect to the integration of drones into everyday life. 2021 has been a promising year for UAVs as it created an optimistic environment with the introduction of new drone rules and PLI scheme. The Indian drone delivery industry potential stands at USD 18 Billion (in first and last mile segments) and further growing at an exceptional growth rate. 

Skye Air has witnessed phenomenal growth in the last few months with addition of numerous clients and partnership with State Governments to expand the business. The company is currently operating in 8 cities across the country and plans to expand to 16 cities in the next 24 months. 

The investment will be used with a focus on bringing greater efficiency to different verticals by allowing faster deliveries, reduction in carbon emission, reduced cost, and increased accessibility to locations that are difficult to reach by road or where there is no connectivity at all. Businesses across various industries have begun to see the benefits of incorporating drones into their operations, such as cost savings, time savings, and technological break throughs.

"This investment comes at a time when we are intensifying our efforts to expand our services and collaborations in the Indian market. We are convinced that the new funding will facilitate our team to open untouched channels, allowing us to bring drone delivery services to more customers in India and beyond. We also believe the investment, which is so far the largest in the delivery focused drone segment, is testament to the fact that Skye Air is leading the way of drone delivery technology in the country with its proprietary SaaS technology.

Mr. Ankit Kumar, CEO–Sky Air Mobility

It is also noteworthy to mention, At Skye Air, our core aim is to enable change, bring the much-needed disruption in the first & last mile logistics industry to move faster and more efficiently. Skye Air is proactively working in the healthcare, quick commerce and ecommerce verticals enabling solutions for faster and cost-effective deliveries, and with the new round of funding we aim to make drone delivery as a mainstream solution.” says Ankit Kumar, CEO, Skye Air Mobility. 

"We are excited to partner with Skye Air Mobility to disrupt the first & last mile logistics in an efficient and climate-friendly manner, beginning with the Healthcare domain and expanding into other sectors with its logistics and SaaS solutions” said Mandeep Julka, Vice President - Investments, Chiratae Ventures. 

Only a handful of companies in the much-hyped drone ecosystem actually have a robust scalable solution and necessary domain knowledge. We saw that Skye Air was exceptional on both these accounts, and which drove our investment decision said Sushanto Mitra, CEO & Founder, Lead Angels

O2 Angel Network, investment bankers backed a Deep-Tech focused angel network, identified Skye Air as a category creator within the drone ecosystem. We were impressed with team domain knowledge and experience. Thus, O2 Angel found Skye Air to be a perfect partner for its new age Angel investors with the visionary founders; said Rajesh Ranjan, Founder, O2 Angel Network.

“Drone delivery is increasingly gaining ground across logistics providers to tackle inefficiencies in last mile delivery and is expected to grow at more than 50% CAGR over the next six years. We believe Skye Air has a head start in the same and is poised to be a leader in the industry” said Dhianu Das, Founder, Agility Ventures.

About Skye Air:

Skye Air is the India’s leading drone delivery company with bases in Hyderabad and Gurgaon. The company is focused on streamlining drone deliveries as a mainstream logistics solution for healthcare, ecommerce, quick commerce, agri-commodity and other industries. Skye Air has completed over 2200+ BVLOS flight delivering over 720,000 packages of products covering an aerial distance of 11800+ Kms.

The company is marking its monopoly in 8 cities across India working with clients like Flipkart, Dunzo, Swiggy, Redcliffe Labs, Aster Healthcare, Blue Dart, Cure Foods and many others. The mission of the company is to enable faster, sustainable, cost-effective and efficient deliveries across verticals and bring in rightful impact to reduce TAT for its clients.

The company has also conducted World’s longest BVLOS medicine delivery flight with Flipkart Health of 104 kms between Baruipur and Medinipur in West Bengal delivering medicines reducing the delivery time by ~80% compared to conventional means.

Using its drone delivery technology, the company has penetrated various urban, semi- urban, and remote areas of the country.

Dare Ventures (VC Arm of Coromandel International) Invests in Drone Startup Dhaksha Unmanned Systems

Dare Ventures, the venture capital arm of Coromandel International Limited has announced its third investment this year into a differentiated drone startup, Dhaksha Unmanned Systems Private Limited. The company plans to use this funding for talent acquisition, R&D and production scale up.

Dhaksha, one of the forerunners in the drone space in India, provides a complete range of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) technology solutions for different applications covering agriculture, defence, surveillance and delivery, among others. Based out of Chennai, the company has over the years developed expertise in drone R&D, testing, manufacturing, and customer support. In addition to having developed capability to manufacture battery-operated drones, Dhaksha is the only company in India to manufacture petrol engine-based drones.

The “Agrigator” drone developed by Dhaksha targeting the agriculture industry, helps farmers with the application of fertilizers and crop protection products. Agrigator comes with a 12L spray tank and can cover up to 30-35 acres per day with 8-hour usage. The company’s petrol engine based defence drone “SwarmGator” is a winner of the prestigious “Mehar Baba Swarm Drone Competition” for drone architecture, organised by the Indian Air Force. In partnership with the prestigious Anna University, Dhaksha won this competing against 154 companies. In addition, the company has also developed targeted drones with specific use-case solutions across surveillance, goods delivery and mining.

Commenting on the investment, Mr. Ramanathan Narayanan, Director and CEO of Dhaksha said, “We are excited to partner with Dare Ventures. I am confident this will help us create several milestones in the drone industry, deliver world-class drones, offer exceptional support to customers across India and make the company a frontrunner in realizing the government’s vision of making India a ‘Global Hub’ for Drones.”

Dr. Krishna Kumar, CTO and Alumnus of MIT-Anna University said, “Dhaksha focuses on bringing world-class affordable drone technology solutions in Agriculture and Defence sectors.”

Coromandel, India’s largest private phosphatic fertilizer company has been a pioneer in deploying new age agritech solutions for the benefit of Indian farmers. The company has earlier partnered with Dhaksha drones to undertake several pilot programs of drone-based nutrient and crop protection applications. The company intends to soon launch a first of its kind “Drone as a Service” model in India.

Commenting on their investment, Mr. Sameer Goel, Director, Dare Ventures Ltd., and Managing Director, Coromandel International Limited said “Coromandel is delighted to support Dhaksha in its aim to create a transformational impact on the drone manufacturing industry in India. With its strong research and manufacturing capabilities, we expect Dhaksha to be a leader in the Indian drone manufacturing space in the near future.”

Mr. Sameer Goel also added, “Our investment in Dhaksha underscores Coromandel’s commitment to help Indian farmers access latest technologies in agriculture. We believe drones will be a game changer in increasing the adoption of water-soluble fertilisers, liquid fertilisers, nano fertilisers, in addition to the crop protection products in India.“

Indoor Drone Tech Startup Indoor Robotics Raises $15 Mn in Series A to Revolutionize Building Monitoring and Security Practices

Image © - www.indoor-robotics.com

Tando™ is the world’s first commercially available indoor drone

"Indoor Robotics’ Tando™, the world’s first commercially available indoor drone, enables enhanced building security and monitoring. “We combined human-like capabilities with AI tools to enable next-generation security and monitoring,” says Doron Ben David, co-founder, and CEO.

Indoor Robotics, an indoor drone technology company that recently launched Tando™ drone, announced the closing of a $15 million in series A funding. The round of funding was led by Pitango and included Target Global, European Innovation Council Fund, and Spider Capital. This round enables Indoor Robotics to boost product development and enable intelligent indoor security worldwide.

Developing an autonomous indoor security robot has challenged robotics designers for years. While some ground-based robots are commercially available, ordinary items like a chair or a step can prevent them from fully securing an area. Indoor Robotics’ Tando™ uses multiple sensors and proprietary algorithms to accurately map and navigate in any indoor space, allowing it to autonomously navigate above or around any items in its path, enabling it to secure and monitor large areas.

"We reimagined what a drone was capable of and combined human-like capabilities with AI tools to enable next-generation security and monitoring,” said Doron Ben David, co-founder, and CEO of Indoor Robotics. “Tando has already been deployed by the world’s leading enterprises and security monitoring companies and is making a tangible impact on safety and security.”

Tando™ docks on the ceiling and functions as a security camera when not in flight. In addition to office buildings, it is currently being used to secure and monitor warehouses, data centers, malls, and retail establishments by well-known enterprises.

These funds will enable Indoor Robotics to move into full production and develop its go-to-market strategy. “We seized the opportunity to increase our investment in Indoor Robotics following the successful launch of Tando™ and the team’s demonstrated ability to surpass critical milestones,” said Rami Kalish, managing partner at Pitango. “Indoor Robotics’ proven capabilities have generated exciting demand from the market, which the investors are excited to facilitate.”

In addition to security functions, Tando™ drives significant safety and operational improvements. It is capable of collecting thermal imaging data and environmental data, as well as recording temperatures of rooms and identifying leaks. It also enables preventive maintenance, identifying areas in buildings that require care.

Doron Ben-David, Co-Founder, CEO (Left) & Amit Moran Co-Founder, CTO (Right)

Doron Ben David and Amit Moran founded Indoor Robotics in 2018. Ben David had left his role as CTO of Israel Aerospace Industries’ Space Division when he began to collaborate with Moran, former Head of Robotics Innovation at Intel. They set their attention to drones, looking for areas where they could outperform human beings. They recognized that drones were ideal for security, an industry that suffers from 300% employee turnover, is vulnerable to fatigue and human error, and pays minimum wage to guards tasked with protecting valuable assets.

The drone fits in line with the company’s mission to boost the quality of life by enabling a seamless, comfortable indoor experience through task-oriented robots.

About Indoor Robotics

Indoor Robotics was founded in 2018. The company combined innovative technology with human-like mobility to develop Tando™, the world’s first autonomous robotic drone fleet for indoor security and monitoring. Powered by AI, the drone features a 360-degree camera, heat sensors, motion sensors, and leak sensors. The company has several patents, including Tile™, its proprietary ceiling dock.

The company is based in Israel and has an office in the USA. Learn more at https://www.indoor-robotics.com/

About Pitango

Pitango has been home to visionary entrepreneurs and groundbreaking companies since 1993 and manages over $2B across its funds. From stealth mode to shining unicorns, Pitango invests via three parallel funds: Pitango Early Stage, Pitango Growth, and Pitango HealthTech. Since its inception, Pitango has invested in more than 200 startups, many of which have become category leaders, went public, and/or were acquired by strategic players. Learn more at www.pitango.com.

We Founder Circle Leads SEED Round Worth $325K in Drone Logistic Startup, TSAW

The Round Saw Participation from An Array of Esteemed Investors including Kartik Hajela (Founder Log9 materials), Soonicorn Ventures and Others

We Founder Circle, a founder backing founder based early-stage start-up investor has led a SEED round worth USD 325K (INR 2.5 cr) in TSAW (Technology in Space and Aero Works), is a drone logistics service provider. The startup comes with a vision to recreate the logistics ecosystem by introducing a new and faster mode of transportation i.e., drones.

The round witnessed participation from an array of esteemed investors including – Kartik Hajela (Founder Log9 materials), Soonicorn Ventures, early stage startup accelerator Pedal Start and strategic investment by Zypp Electric. The brand was bootstrapped so far, and this is the first fundraise.

(L-R) Kishan and Rimanshu-TSAW Founders

TSAW is providing logistics services by creating an alternate mode of unmanned transportation and developing drone corridors which will expand throughout Indian geography. These services can be used by any client on a monthly subscription basis. To make this possible, TSAW has developed drones capable of carrying 5kg payload to a distance of 40kms and is working on drones with longer range and higher payload capacity to carry any kind of loads.

TSAW will exhaust a major part of the raised investment in team building and fuelling operations. The rest of the fund will be equally divided in marketing and R&D.

“We are working towards empowering the logistics chain with drone technology. Though a lot of attempts have been made at exploring the domain, however very few have been successful in precise execution. We are glad the investors put their faith in the model and the team. These funds would give us a push in establishing our services across multiple cities which is the immediate plan for us,” said Mr. Kishan Tiwari- Founder, TSAW.

"In order to democratise the tech explorations taking the leap of faith is important. TSAW is empowering a domain which has been in the air for long but not a lot of people have been able to unleash its complete potential. We are glad to have become a part of a greater mission and logistics revolution that TSAW is aiming to begin,” Mr. Gaurav VK Singhvi- Co-founder, We Founder Circle.

TSAW is targeting to start its services in three Tier 1 cities by the end of this financial year utilising these funds, and aims to reach each and every village in the next 5 years.

TSAW’s technology which is a combination of drone and automation software has evolved over last 5+ years, proving itself across multiple Indian terrains, and has performed 1800 delivery flights across India so far. TSAW is working with Zypp Electric to enable end-to-end last-mile deliveries anywhere within a city in 20 minutes. So far, TSAW has completed successful trials in Kolkata, Orissa, Indore, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Madhurai, Hyderabad and Coimbatore with various clients. Soon TSAW will also be launching its dedicated corridors for clients in Himachal and Uttarakhand for transportation of medical supplies.

We Founder Circle is a founder backing founder community and early age startup investment platform. It offers capital to startups in the range of $50K - $150K to early-stage startups. WFC has become one of the fastest-growing angel networks with 33+ startup investments in 2021. WFC has facilitated funds worth $150 million across 33+ start-ups in 2021and and became the 2nd largest Angel Investor in the Country. The brand facilitates seed funding, business development, and global networking opportunities to start-ups as it believes early start-ups need support in other sectors also to attain stability and scalability.

About TSAW

Founded in 2019, by Kishan and Rimanshu, TSAW (Technology in Space and Aero Works) is a drone logistics service provider with a vision to recreate the logistics ecosystem by introducing a new and faster mode of transportation i.e., drones. 

The brand is headquartered in Gurugram. These services can be used by any client on a monthly subscription basis. To make this possible TSAW has developed drones capable of carrying 5Kg payload to a distance of 40Km and is working on drones with longer range and higher payload capacity to carry any kind of loads. All these drones are operated on lithium batteries with Zero Carbon Emission. 

All the drones are powered by TSAW’s propriety Drone Cloud Intelligence System (DCIS), a cloud-based autopilot, which performs jobs like automatic path planning, drone traffic deconfliction and predictive health management & recovery, hence reducing the downtime to approximately Zero mins between flights and providing better operational efficiency.