Garuda Aerospace is expanding its presence in India’s fast-growing drone ecosystem. The Chennai-based company offers drone-as -a-service (DaaS) and aims to deliver advanced AI-driven agricultural solutions to enhance productivity.
“Indian farmers have significantly benefited from Garuda Aerospace’s Kisan drones,” Agnishwar Jayaprakash, founder & CEO of Garuda Aerospace, told FE. “Our aerial technology provides farmers with data-driven insights, optimising resource utilisation and maximising profits. The DaaS model makes this technology accessible to farmers of all sizes, while skilled drone pilots eliminate the need for extensive training and enables farmers to focus on other aspects of their business,” he added.
Jayaprakash said that Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are at the forefront of drone adoption in agriculture. “We have been witnessing a remarkable surge in interest and adoption from these markets. Our range of agri-related drone services is comprehensive offering 50+ services, including mapping and surveying, precision spraying, seed dispersal, crop monitoring and even livestock management,” he added.
Garuda Aerospace was the first in India to receive dual DGCA approval for manufacturing and remote pilot training. “ We recently completed 10 million hours of flying time and continue to champion government initiatives like the Namo Drone Didi Programme which empowers women to become drone pilots,” he said. The company has trained over 500 rural women and delivered 446 drones to women SHGs across 20 states. The programme aims to provide drones to 15,000 women SHGs for agricultural rental services. “Under our drone-as-a-service, our skilled pilots can conduct multiple spraying cycles, ensuring optimal crop health and protection. This model allows farmers to lease drones and hire skilled pilots,” he said.
Garuda Aerospace has partnered with Titan Innovations, Easy Aerial, Azur Drones and Aero Sentinel for distribution of their units across security, infrastructure, and defence applications. “From monitoring the condition of state infrastructure and crop spraying, to emergency response and deployment of anti-drone cyber security solutions, we are excited about the potential these partnerships hold,” said Jayaprakash.
