Top 10 Drone Companies in India

As per India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, while flying a drone is legal in India, drone pilots must be informed thoroughly about the latest regulatory measures and compliance fundamentals delivered in the new Drone Rules 2023. 

India has been actively involved in developing high-paced and effective drones indigenously. Indian drones are indispensable in contributing to the country’s technological enhancements specifically in Research and Development, security, and economic development. The indigenous-developed drone market is expanding with a multitude of applications in areas like – Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Counterterrorism, Border Patrol, Disaster Management, Precision Agriculture, Wildlife Conservation, Forest Surveillance, and various commercial aspects. 

Top Giants in the Drone Industry in India

India is at the forefront of high-end research and development and is achieving crucial milestones in the development of advanced drones with multifaceted applications. 

We have listed the top 10 drone companies in India that are bringing their A game in developing world-class drones indigenously. 

IdeaForge

A prominent leader in the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) market, IdeaForge has the largest operational deployment of indigenous UAVs across India. Its customers have completed over 380,000 flights using their UAVs. 

Their Drones are designed for two categories – 

• Mapping – RYNO UAV, Q6 UAV
• Security and Surveillance – Switch UAV, NETRA V4 Pro, NETRA V4+ UAV, Q4i UAV, NINJA UAV

Application areas – 

• Conducting Land Surveys 
• Wide range of mining area planning and mapping 
• Execute volumetric estimations
• Streamline oil and gas operations
• Conduct surveillance operations
• Maritime Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations.
• Border Security
• Crime Control

Dhaksha Unmanned Systems 

Dhaksha provides a complete range of end-to-end UAS technology solutions. Working rigorously to meet the current and future demands of homeland security and civil commercial market segments, they have developed some outstanding drones in different segments. 

Drone range – 

• DH-AGRIGATOR 
• DH-HM 
• DH-QUAD 
• DH-VTHT
• DH-MICRO QUAD
• DH-HELI
• DH-MAPPER
• DH-NANO QUAD

Application areas –  

• Crowd and disaster management
• Agricultural spraying 
• Traffic Monitoring 
• Remote data acquisition
• Survey and area violation study

Garuda Aerospace

India’s leading drone tech company, Garuda develops low-cost drone solutions focused on optimizing industrial requirements. The company was established in 2015 and is excelling in giving the best drones and underlying technologies. 

Drone Range – 

• Garuda Kisan Drone
• Surveillance Drone
• Mapping Drone
• Surya Solar Power Cleaning Drone 
• Vriksh Vahaan Seed Dropping Drone
• Loudspeaker Drone
• UGV
• Boat 
• Fixed wing VTOL

Application areas – 

• Highway/ Traffic Management
• Agriculture
• Structural Damage Assessment 
• Wind Turbine Inspection

Asteria Aerospace

Asteria Aerospace is known to develop customized drone solutions and is a leading company in providing Drone-as-a-service (DaaS).

Drone Range – 

• A200 – India’s first Micro category drone
• A200-XT – Small category drone
• A410-XT – DGCA type certified drone
• AT-15 – VTOL Drone

Caters to the following industry – 

• Defense and Homeland Security
• Oil and gas
• Mining
• Manufacturing and heavy industries
• Agriculture
• Telecom
• Energy and Utilities

Avian Aerospace

Established in 2017, Avian Aerospace is involved in the manufacturing of drones for agricultural and industrial applications. The company places a strong emphasis on environmental monitoring and conservation efforts. This aligns with the growing trend in the industry to use drone technology for ecological studies, wildlife monitoring, and environmental protection.

Service Offerings:

• Aerial Mapping: Providing mapping services using drones for various applications.
• Drone Surveys and Inspection: Conducting surveys and inspections using drone technology.

Zen Technologies 

Zen Technologies was founded in 1993, and it has been active in the development of defence and security technologies. With 30 years of legacy and 150+ filed patents, the company is involved in the development of heavy-lift logistics drones. This suggests a focus on drone technology for various applications, including logistics and possibly defense. Zen Technologies has an anti-drone system that is designed to detect, categorize, and track drones using video sensors. This technology is essential for countering unauthorized drone activities.

Solutions – 

• Anti Drone System 
• Combat Training Centre
• Live Ranges
• Live Simulation
• Virtual Simulation 

Aero360 – Dronix Technologies Private Limited

Providing solutions in Mapping, security, and surveillance, Aero360 is a prominent player in developing autonomous drones for surveillance, monitoring, and industrial survey applications. Their established clientele includes – TATA Power, TATA Communications, Hindustan Zinc, Bharat Electronics, and Vedanta. 

DRDO

India’s Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been actively involved in developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drone technologies for defense applications. DRDO’s contributions in the field of drone development are aimed at enhancing the country’s surveillance, reconnaissance, and defense capabilities. Here are some notable aspects of DRDO’s involvement in drone development:

• Rustom Series
• Netra UAV
• Nishant UAV
• AURA
• Ghatak UCAV
• Swift UAV
• Bharat Drone

HAL

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been involved in the development and production of various types of aircraft, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drones.

Common Unmanned Helicopter (CUH):

HAL has been involved in the development of the Common Unmanned Helicopter (CUH). This drone is designed for various applications, including reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition.

Rustom UAVs:

While the Rustom series of UAVs have been primarily developed by the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), HAL has played a role in the production and integration of certain components. The Rustom series includes Rustom-I, Rustom-II, and Rustom-H.

Rotary Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (RUAV):

HAL has been working on the Rotary Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (RUAV) project. The RUAV is designed for both military and civilian applications and is capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL).

Light Utility Helicopter (LUH):

While not a traditional drone, the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) developed by HAL can be equipped with surveillance and reconnaissance payloads, making it suitable for applications where unmanned systems are used.

Urban Matrix

Urban Matrix was founded in 2019 and the company focuses on developing reliable, indigenous, and robust drones and critical technologies in the segment. With over 3415 total flights, Arban Matrix has developed a mapping drone – UMT Hawk4G Survey and for Global Connectivity – UMT Hawk4G Surveillance. Their MATRIXCONSOLE also provides a cloud-based dashboard for drone operations