StartupTalky

Tag: drone industry

  • Satyabrata Satapathy, CEO of BonV Aero, on Leading Smart Aerial Mobility and Record-Breaking Drone Innovations

    In this interaction with StartupTalky, Satyabrata Satapathy, CEO and Co-Founder of BonV Aero, talks about how the company is revolutionising defense, logistics, and disaster management with its drones. He talks about BonV Aero’s mission to provide aerial mobility solutions through local manufacturing, focusing on sustainability and high-altitude capabilities. Satapathy also discusses their success stories, including breaking world records, and shares his insights on the future of the drone industry in India.

    StartupTalky: What is BonV Aero’s mission, and how does the company aim to impact defense, logistics, and disaster management?

    Mr. Satapathy: Our mission is to produce high-quality, safe, and reliable products with a focus on indigenous manufacturing adhering to the highest standards of safety and quality. We would want to bring Arial Mobility Solutions to these sectors.

    StartupTalky: What problems does BonV Aero’s drone technology solve in defense, logistics, and disaster management?

    Mr. Satapathy: BonV Aero was established to address the challenges faced in transporting logistics to remote and high-altitude areas, particularly in difficult terrains such as borderfront areas and during disaster situations. Traditional methods such as using mules and porters posed risks to human life, especially in high-altitude regions. 

    With our logistic drones capable of carrying payloads of up to 50 kg and flying at altitudes above 16000 ft, we aimed to provide a safe and efficient solution for the Indian Army and other stakeholders operating in similar environments. The need for reliable, versatile, and efficient logistics transport in challenging terrains and disaster scenarios propelled the foundation of our company and the development of our innovative products.

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    StartupTalky: What are the key features and advantages of your drone systems compared to others in the market?

    Mr. Satapathy: The key features and advantages of our drone systems compared to others in the market include:

    • The propulsion system developed by us is capable of flying at high altitudes.
    • Self-flying technology is also an innovation and a unique selling point (USP) of our drones.
    • Airframe is another level of innovation we brought in metal alloys, where we came up with innovative aerospace-grade aluminium alloy, which is cost-effective, reliable, maintainable, and light weight.

    StartupTalky: How does the eVTOL vehicle contribute to carbon-free smart aerial mobility, and what are its benefits for logistics and cargo transportation?

    Mr. Satapathy: We prioritise sustainability and social responsibility through our commitment to minimising environmental impact. Our logistic drones are powered by batteries, ensuring that our operations leave no carbon footprint in the environment. By leveraging battery-powered technology, we strive to promote clean energy usage, reduce air pollution, and contribute to a more sustainable future for both industry and society. As part of our social responsibility initiatives, we are dedicated to advancing eco-friendly practices and setting a precedent for environmentally conscious innovation within the drone manufacturing and logistics industry.

    StartupTalky: How does BonV Aero approach development and innovation in drone systems? What role does R&D play?

    Mr. Satapathy: BonV Aero places a strong emphasis on development and innovation in drone systems through its in-house manufacturing approach, ensuring full control over key components like aerostructures. We have a state-of-the-art R&D facility that manages everything from the design to the fabrication of these structures. This comprehensive R&D process extends into critical areas such as motor and motor controller designs, ensuring their drones remain highly efficient even in extreme conditions, like the high altitudes of the Himalayas.

    BonV Aero has also developed proprietary software platforms that enable drones to fly autonomously in any jamming atmosphere, a crucial feature for secure and reliable operations. These advancements in aerial mobility have been proven in practical scenarios, with BonV Aero successfully inducting logistic drones into the Indian Army. These eVTOLs are capable of operating in high-altitude and adverse environments, providing essential support for the Army in challenging conditions.

    StartupTalky: Share a notable project or success story where BonV Aero’s drones have had a significant impact.

    Mr. Satapathy: A significant success story for BonV Aero involved deploying our logistic drones in disaster-stricken areas to facilitate rapid and efficient delivery of emergency supplies. Our drones proved instrumental in areas where traditional transport could not reach, thereby significantly speeding up relief efforts and minimizing the impact of the disaster. We recently broke the world record for carrying the heaviest payload in our drone (30 kg) at the highest altitude in the Himalayas at Ladakh (19024 ft).

    StartupTalky: What are the main challenges in drone manufacturing, and how is BonV Aero addressing them?

    Mr. Satapathy: The main challenges in drone manufacturing include technological integration, regulatory compliance, and scalability of production. BonV Aero addresses these by innovating in electric propulsion systems for enhanced efficiency and safety, closely working with regulatory bodies to ensure compliance, and leveraging advanced manufacturing technologies to scale operations effectively.

    StartupTalky: What is your view on the current state and future outlook of the drone industry in India?

    Mr. Satapathy: The drone industry in India is at a burgeoning stage with vast potential for growth, driven by increasing adoption across sectors like agriculture, defense, and disaster management. The future outlook is promising due to supportive government policies promoting drone technology. BonV Aero is poised to lead this growth by innovating and adapting to market needs, thus contributing significantly to the industry’s evolution in India.

    Mr. Satapathy: Emerging trends in aerospace and aviation, such as autonomous flight systems, artificial intelligence in unmanned flight operations, and greener propulsion technologies, excite us at BonV Aero. We are actively incorporating these advancements into our designs to enhance drone capabilities and ensure sustainable operations.

    StartupTalky: What advice do you have for entrepreneurs looking to enter the drone industry?

    Mr. Satapathy: On the technology side, prioritize innovation by addressing the end user’s pain points. Understand your users deeply and focus on incremental improvements that make a real difference in their experience. Execution is equally important—ensure your solutions are practical, scalable, and well-aligned with user requirements.

    When it comes to funding, be clear about your “MOAT” when presenting to investors. Don’t hesitate to schedule meetings with multiple investors—be persistent and proactive. Seek investors who are not just financiers but true partners who can help guide and grow your business.

    Regarding regulations, having a deep understanding of the regulatory framework is crucial. Stay informed and engaged with the evolving regulatory landscape, as it can significantly impact the success of your startup.

    A New Era Is Dawning for India’s Drone Industry
    Inspired by the rapid development of the drone industry, India is aiming to become the world’s leading drone manufacturer by 2030.
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  • InsideFPV Signs Strategic Development MoU With Israel-Based UAV Dynamix, to Supply 10,000 Drones

    An Israeli drone business called UAV Dynamix and an Indian deep tech drone and Shart Tank India-featured firm called InsideFPV have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). InsideFPV is changing the game when it comes to consumer, agricultural, and defence drones. UAV Dynamix has also committed to receiving an estimated 10,000 drones from InsideFPV over the next decade.

    The goal of the memorandum of understanding is to leverage the combined technical expertise of the two companies to develop ground-breaking drone solutions that will propel their global expansion. There will be a great chance to exchange technology, both software and hardware, thanks to the relationship. The collaboration will also highlight the creation of practical and effective solutions utilizing cutting-edge technologies from both organizations. Over the past few years, InsideFPV’s drones have gained a lot of traction and support from the Indian defence forces in various demonstrations. Now, they are aiming to build trust with important global defence partners so that they can accelerate their expansion. Additionally, the arrangement is in line with InsideFPV’s long-term goal of becoming the world’s leading drone manufacturer by consistently exceeding expectations in innovation, creativity, and execution.

    With its cutting-edge drones, the Indian firm just hit a new benchmark, with a recorded flight duration of 141 minutes on a single battery. There are current preparations afoot for the Indian drone business to shatter the Guinness World Record. The record-setting flight by the Indian drone business was the result of years of research and development, man-hours spent in the lab, and intensive testing in the field.

    The Indian drone manufacturer now owns three patents and a plethora of technical know-how. As part of its first phase of development for its defence vertical, InsideFPV has surpassed another milestone in remotely commanding drones, this time from 7,000 km away (the Netherlands, Oman, and Bangalore). Also, the research team at InsideFPV has done a fantastic job of finding ways to make drone batteries last longer.

    “As a company dedicated to solving problems through extensive R&D, we tackled the issue of flight time, leading to significant improvements,” explained InsideFPV CEO Mr. Arth Chowdhary, who provided a detailed account of the partnership. Since drone technology is still in its infancy in India, we set up drone labs in universities and high schools. In support of India’s Make in India program and our goal of becoming a world leader in drone production, we have agreed to supply 10,000 drones. We are looking forward to conducting more research and development in the drone industry.

    “From surveillance to surveying operations, the growing dependence of UAVs is critical to shaping the future of modern aviation,” stated Mr. Tal Appelbaum, CEO of UAV Dynamix, emphasizing the increasing demand for UAVs in several areas of contemporary aviation. Drone technology in aerial imagery, surveillance, and surveying will make a significant impact on the future of this sector, thanks to InsideFPV, India’s technological prowess, UAV Dynamix’s vast network of foreign pilots, and their extensive experience in the field.

    Drone Labs is a research arm of the Gujarat-based company that provides drone education to students at army academies through a variety of interactive learning programs. Its goal is to get people talking about drones and excited about STEM education so that they may use Drone Arena as a tool for experiential learning. The use of cutting-edge drone platforms, curriculum support, technical aid for teachers, and training for students in electronics, coding, and robotics all contribute to this goal. Anyone can learn to fly drones in a risk-free environment thanks to InsideFPV’s innovative simulator, which powers The Drone Labs. In this training program, newcomers can practice in a variety of settings to hone their skills and gain self-assurance. Anyone, regardless of age, gender, or level of education, is welcome to participate in this program’s training sessions.

    A New Era Is Dawning for India’s Drone Industry
    Inspired by the rapid development of the drone industry, India is aiming to become the world’s leading drone manufacturer by 2030.
    StartupTalkyNitin Konde

  • A New Era Is Dawning for India’s Drone Industry

    Ever since drones first appeared on the scene, people all over the globe have been enamored with this new way of surveying the planet. Inspired by the rapid development of this industry, India is aiming to become the world’s leading drone manufacturer by 2030. In addition to making the country more technologically advanced, this transition will reportedly add roughly 1.15 percent to the GDP and create five lakh employment in the next years, according to media sources. The use of drones has been hailed as a crucial component of the ecosystem surrounding Industry 4.0. The government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) program, which was launched in 2021, is being requested by the drone sector to be expanded.

    While speaking with the media recently, Indian Minister of State for Civil Aviation Gen. VK Singh (Retd.) predicted that the drone manufacturing industry’s yearly sales turnover might increase from around Rs 60 crore in 2020-21 to around Rs 900 crore in 2024-25.

    Boosting the Sector
    Reasons to Elevate This Sector
    Problems Impeding Expansion

    Boosting the Sector

    By announcing liberalized drone regulations in August 2021, the Indian government ushered the drone sector into what it called “an era of supernormal growth.” Since then, the industry has skyrocketed. These rules simplified the red tape by doing away with security clearances during licensing and registration and cutting the number of documents and permissions needed from 25 to 5.

    Adding more manure to foster the growth of this sector, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has implemented the following five measures—the Ease of Doing Business (Drone Rules 2021), financial incentives (PLI scheme), government procurement, export liberalization, and domestic industry promotion.

    In September 2021, the ministry released the drone airspace map and a PLI scheme following the drone rules. In October 2021, the ministry released the UAS Traffic Management (UTM) policy framework. Drones flying up to 400 feet are now allowed across approximately 90% of Indian airspace according to a map released on September 24, 2021.

    PLI has distributed Rs 30 crore so far; it is regarded as a spearhead for boosting the drone sector. The government launched the program with an incentive package of Rs 120 crore, to be distributed over three fiscal years at a rate of 20% of the value addition. A total of twelve drone manufacturers and eleven drone component manufacturers were chosen as PLI beneficiaries under the program.

    Size of Drone Service Market in India for 2020 and 2021, With a Forecast Until 2030
    Size of Drone Service Market in India for 2020 and 2021, With a Forecast Until 2030

    Reasons to Elevate This Sector

    Drones have many practical applications in many fields, including cinematography, building, defense, mining, telecommunications, oil and gas exploration, monitoring sites, aerial photography, and land surveys. They are also useful for keeping an eye on infrastructure like roads and highways. As technology advances and cost efficiencies rise, solutions like drone-facilitated last-mile deliveries and other support for retail, healthcare, logistics, and other sectors may soon become more commonplace in consumer market applications.

    This can only happen in India if the country’s drone industry grows. This calls for more expenditures in research and development, more local production to meet demand, and solutions that can handle both general-purpose and hyperlocal needs. Significant cost reductions will only occur in the industry after that. Businesses of all sizes, from large conglomerates in related industries to fledgling tech companies and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)—can benefit from this industry-ecosystem-based approach. These businesses can manufacture components, create software applications, enterprise solutions, and counter-drone technology, and even design and assemble finished goods. Diversified product lines that are finally appealing to consumers will be the final result.

    Problems Impeding Expansion

    This industry is facing several obstacles that are preventing it from reaching its full potential, even though all of the bots have been correctly positioned. Access to necessary parts is one of the most significant challenges in this regard. As a result of the limited availability of these components in India, drone makers are forced to rely largely on suppliers from other countries. Components were exempt from the import embargo that the government imposed to encourage domestic drone production.

    The local ecosystem is starting to see a lot of investment, and it will start to take shape in the next few years. India’s largest drone manufacturer, IdeaForge, is collaborating with several suppliers to “indigenize” numerous drone subsystems. It is equally critical to set up testing facilities and cultivate a talent pool for piloting these UAVs. Inadequate oversight is a risk that the PLI system poses to the drone business. The sector is requesting a merger of production-linked and service-linked incentives in addition to a larger PLI system.

    Emerging Drone Startups In India
    Revenue in the Indian Drones market is $23.62 Mn in 2023 and will grow by 8.12%(CAGR 2023-2027). Here are the emerging drone startups in India.
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  • Emerging Drone Startups In India

    The Drone Industry in India has recently flourished due to various uses in the Defence sectors along with civilian and commercial organizations. One of the major Defence Laboratory in India DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation has invested greatly in the Research and Development of Drones with a focus on the needs of Indian Defence scenarios.

    In India, Revenue in the Drones segment amounts to $23.62 Mn in 2023. The market will show annual growth of 8.12% (CAGR 2023-2027). The drone volume is expected to amount to 100,000 pieces by 2027 and will show a growth of 14.6% in 2024.

    Revenue in the Drones Segment in India from 2014 to 2027
    Revenue in the Drones Segment in India from 2014 to 2027

    Modern drones are easily accessible, and the market is full of brilliant flying machines. If you’re looking to buy a drone, then you have to know the functionalities and features of the drone.

    Drones are of major use in:

    • Assisting aid agencies during humanitarian crises and disaster management,
    • monitoring wildlife activity, animal tagging, and conducting anti-poaching patrols,
    • helping farmers with their fields with a simple bird’s eye view of their field,
    • providing a new perspective to journalists.

    Thus, there is a huge spike in the use of drones in sectors like GIS Mapping, Topographical Surveys, Industrial inspections, Powerline inspections, pipeline inspections, railway line inspections, etc.

    Here is a list of the Top Drone Startups in India which have gained acceleration in the past few years:

    Aarav Unmanned Systems
    Aero 360
    IdeaForge
    CRON Systems
    DeTect Technologies
    Drone Tech Lab
    Indrones Solutions

    Aarav Unmanned Systems

    Founders Vipul Singh, Yeshwanth Reddy, Suhas Banshiwala, and Nikhil Upadhye
    Founded in 2013
    Headquarters Bangalore

    Aarav Unmanned Systems Homepage
    Aarav Unmanned Systems Homepage

    AUS builds autonomous drones that come with ease of operation and can be operated by any user without any specialized training. AUS is the undisputed leader of commercial drones in India as it has served key players across private and public sectors. Aarav Unmanned Systems has also developed and designed Nayan, a quadrotor for developers and researchers.

    AUS claims to be performing 3D mapping & Image Processing, precision agriculture, geographical mapping and survey, aerial photography, disaster/event management, and defense surveillance.

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    Aero 360

    Founders Pragadish Santosh
    Founded in 2017
    Headquarters Chennai

    Aero360 Homepage
    Aero360 Homepage

    Aero 360 provides end-to-end drone solutions for enterprises including Turnkey services, Drone tool kits, Data Processing and analysis, Training, and consulting Drone repair services. It also provides high-resolution aerial images & videos to enable better scoping, assessment, planning, surveying, design, inspection & maintenance decisions.

    It provides extensive local support for repairs & maintenance through a network of drone repair centers for your Drones. The company also provides solutions including data acquisition, processing, and analysis globally through Pilot Partner Network & Centralised Data Processing for your projects.

    IdeaForge

    Founders Ankit Mehta, Rahul Singh, Ashish Bhat, and Vipul Joshi
    Founded in 2007
    Headquarters Mumbai

    IdeaForge Homepage
    IdeaForge Homepage

    IdeaForge was founded in 2007 by Ankit Mehta, Rahul Singh, Ashish Bhat, and Vipul Joshi and is engaged in the development of unmanned aerial systems that offer usability to user-centric innovations and designs. The organization is also a licensed manufacturer of UAVs approved by the Ministry of Defence. It also provides the flexibility to customize products for an array of requirements.

    Its first product, Netra, is a man-portable autonomous UAV for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance of moving and fixed targets. It also offers Netra V series autonomous and a man-portable small unmanned aerial vehicle that weighs less than 3 kgs.

    CRON Systems:

    Founders Tushar Chhabra, Saurav Agarwal and Tomer Ktzenellebogen
    Founded in 2015
    Headquarters Delhi

    CRON Systems Homepage
    CRON Systems Homepage

    A defense technology startup, Cron Systems was founded in the year 2015 by Tushar Chhabra and co-founders Saurav Agarwal and Tomer Ktzenellebogen, which builds Multi-sensor enabled intrusion detection systems and drones, and perimeter defense equipment. It is a leading provider of sensing products and perception software that brings vision to UAVs, automobiles, mapping, security, and other industries to enhance situational awareness.

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    Indian Border Security Force also installed several Cron laser walls along borders to keep a vigil on intrusion attempts across Indian borders. Cron also holds top strategic partners and investors which include YourNest Venture capital, Techstars Adelaide, and Cisco Launchpad. CRON systems offerings also include the Kavach series of advanced multi-sensor scanners and SenseEdge perception software.

    DeTect Technologies:

    Founders Daniel Raj David, Harikrishnan AS, Karthik R, Tarun Mishra, and Krishnan Balasubramanian
    Founded in 2016
    Headquarters Chennai

    Detect Technologies Homepage
    Detect Technologies Homepage

    DeTect Technologies was founded by Daniel Raj David, Harikrishnan AS, Karthik R, Tarun Mishra, and Krishnan Balasubramanian in the year 2016 in Chennai with a vision of providing infrastructure services to the industrial sector including drone-based monitoring of critical infrastructure.

    The company focuses on developing products that help in predicting the maintenance of oil and gas pipelines and predicting leakages. DeTect also develops a semi-autonomous drone called Noctua for the inspection of boilers and other O&G components.

    Drone Tech Lab

    Founders Biswajit Dey, and Ritesh Kanu
    Founded in 2014
    Headquarters Kolkata

    Drone Tech Lab Homepage
    Drone Tech Lab Homepage

    The company Rchobbytech Solutions Private Limited has been greatly functioning and is excelling by offering outclassing products and services. The company manufactures Agricultural Drones, Pesticide Spraying Drones, Crop Monitoring Drones, Surveillance Drones, Drones Cameras, and Photography Drones.

    Being a service provider, the company has gained expertise in offering Drone Manufacturing, Aerial Photography, Surveillance Drone, and Digital Photography services to customers. The company has also gained expertise in offering Drone Manufacturing, Aerial Photography, Surveillance Drone, and Digital Photography services to customers.

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    Indrones Solutions

    Founder Pravin Prajapat
    Founded in 2015
    Headquarters Mumbai

    Indrones Homepage
    Indrones Homepage

    The company provides intelligent data using drones. Data collected from a drone’s view using required sensors help you to take a necessary decision about your construction project, industrial premise, historical architecture, agricultural field, or any other land. Indrones solutions also like to consider UAVs as a tool that can be used, by soldiers to gather real-time situational awareness, by a surveyor to get better data, by a farmer to assess crop health, and by filmmakers to bring in shots that were never possible before.

    While being a revolutionary tool, UAVs also need to be easy to use, affordable, and most importantly, reliable, and safe. The sensors in drones can estimate dimensions like the breadth and height of any structure like a water tank or warehouse giving us an approx idea about the volume.

    Conclusion

    Innovation has made us believe that great things can happen and will happen. People around the world are innovating new and exciting things that will make our lives easier. Every entrepreneur has a firm belief to make this world a little better. This has led to some exciting and emerging innovations. Drones are one of them. Be ready to get a parcel delivered to your doorstep by a drone in the future. Isn’t it exciting? This has given rise to a lot of startups that investing their time and energy in making wonderful drones. Let’s wait and watch what new device or machine gets innovated in the future.

    FAQs

    Are drones allowed in India?

    UIN for drones mandatory: No drone can be owned or operated in India unless it has been allotted a Unique Identification Number (UIN), which will be issued by the DGCA.

    Are drone cameras banned in India?

    According to India’s national aviation authority, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, flying a drone is legal in India, but we recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so.

    Are drones worth buying?

    If you wish to enhance your photos and/or videos, are looking for unique ways to simplify the way you do business, or are just searching for a fun weekend project, then a drone may be worth your time and money. The decision to purchase your very own drone can be difficult, especially if you’re on a budget.

    Do I need a license for a drone in India?

    All drones except those in the Nano category must be registered and issued a Unique Identification Number (UIN). A permit is required for commercial drone operations (except for those in the Nano category flown below 50 feet and those in the Micro category flown below 200 feet).

  • Top 9 Leading Drone Delivery Startups in the USA

    Use of drones for getting materials across difficult terrains is a familiar picture to all of us. The usage of drones can be dated back to World War 1 where they have carried out their respective tasks in unimaginable terrains in the most efficient manner. Over the last few years, drones have become an important part of many businesses like photography and delivery systems.

    Drones have especially become popular when it comes to packaging delivery operations as it saves a lot of money on manpower, operations and maintenance. Moreover, it also reduces the room for mistakes. It is expected that global package delivery operations will be valued at over 6000 million dollars by the end of 20206, growing at a rate of 53% every year from 2021 to 2026.

    In view of these dazzling statistics, several drone delivery startups have mushroomed globally in a very short span of time. This article will look at the drone delivery startups that are based in the United States.

    1. Mighty Fly
    2. UPS Flight Forward
    3. Volansi
    4. Matternet
    5. Flirtey
    6. Zipline
    7. Shield AI
    8. Google Wing
    9. Ware

    1. Mighty Fly

    Founder: Manal Habib, and Scott Parker

    Founded: 2019

    Mighty Fly Drone
    Mighty Fly Drone

    Founded in 2019, Mighty Fly delivers supplies to medicines, spare parts, and the mining and gas industries. Apart from delivering goods to remote locations with the help of heavy cargo aircraft, they also provide customised drone services.

    This drone delivery startup was founded by Manal Habib, and Scott Parker and has its headquarters in San Francisco. They hope to restructure the ways in which logistics were perceived through efficient designs and plans in a cost-effective manner.

    2. UPS Flight Forward

    Founder: Myron Scott Wright

    Founded: 2019

    UPS Flight Forward Drone
    UPS Flight Forward Drone

    UPS Flight Forward is a drone delivery service by UPS that focuses primarily on delivering medical supplies to different regions across the United States. They have expanded their base by partnering with various other similar firms like Matternet, CVS, WingCopter etc so as to make the most out of this next-generation technology.

    3. Volansi

    Founder: Hannan Parvizian and Wesley Zheng

    Founded: 2015

    Volansi Voly 50
    Volansi Voly 50

    One of the top drone delivery and aerial logistics company Volansi is based in California and was founded by Hannan Parvizian and Wesley Zheng in 2015. They are specialised in delivering shipments over long ranges. Since they have fixed delivery routes, the customers can get their deliveries within a very short span of time.

    Their long-range services have helped in expanding drone delivery services even to very remote areas. Recently they released VOLY 50 series, which is an unmanned, multi-role, VTOL aircraft that has a better flight range and flexible payloads.

    4. Matternet

    Founder: Andreas Raptopoulos

    Founded: 2011

    Headquartered in California, Matternet offers completely automated drone services that are available on-demand. Their drones are completely powered by batteries. They were the first ones to power vaccine drone delivery in the US.

    Matternet has developed easy-to-use stations across operational routes so as to ensure proper battery exchange and automated payload. They have received total funding of USD 31,140,701 as of October 2021.

    5. Flirtey

    Founders: Ahmed Haider, Matthew Sweeny, and Tom Bass

    Founded: 2013

    Flirtey Drone
    Flirtey Drone

    Founded by Ahmed Haider, Matthew Sweeny, and Tom Bass, Flirtey provides an independent drone delivery service to deliver mail, food and medicines. It was founded in 2013. They use automated drones. This small step has saved the startup a lot of money that would have otherwise been spent on cumbersome logistics and operations.

    Apart from their path-breaking vision, they are also the first startup to carry out an FAA-approved drone delivery in the US. They are also the first ones to have a commercial drone delivery service in the US as well.

    6. Zipline

    Founders: Keenan Wyrobek, Keller Rinaudo and Will Hetzler

    Founded: 2014

    Zipline Drone
    Zipline Drone

    Zipline is one of the most popular drone delivery startups in the US. They are known for their automated drones that carry out the delivery of blood and other important medical supplies.

    They have a network of hospitals that are in turn connected to the patients who will require these supplies on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. These deliveries are carried out by leveraging proprietary fixed winged drones. It was founded in 2014 by Keenan Wyrobek, Keller Rinaudo and Will Hetzler.

    7. Shield AI

    Founders: Ryan Tseng and Brandon Tseng

    Founded: 2014

    Shield AI Drone
    Shield AI Drone

    Founded in 2014, Shield AI is headquartered in San Franciso. They manufacture autonomous drones that are used for patrolling and surveillance. They have also developed a deep neural network-based system that suits them best for battlefield applications. They primarily cater to first respondents and law enforcement personnel.

    8. Google Wing

    Founder: –

    Founded: 2018

    Wing Drone
    Wing Drone

    The Wing is a subsidiary of Alphabet that provides drone delivery services over small ranges. They are the first ones to receive air carrier certification from FAA. Their drones can carry small packets that weigh less than 3.1 pounds. They ensure that the customers don’t come into contact with these drones by delivering packages 20 feet above the ground.

    9. Ware

    Founders: Ian Smith and Joseph Moster

    Founded: 2019

    Ware Drone
    Ware Drone

    Founded by Ian Smith and Joseph Moster, Ware focuses on self-flying autonomous drones. They have blended their expertise in robotics and machine learning for better delivery experiences. They have connected various distribution centres with respective warehouses so as to make the process of delivery smooth.

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    Conclusion

    Drone delivery package systems have paved the way for the inception of many startups in the United States of America. Apart from the growth of technology and required logistics, the government is also very supportive of the developments. Various rules and regulations that ensure the safety and security of the people associated with this system encourage better research and innovation in this region.

    Apart from that distribution is an inexhaustible area which only expands with the passage of time. In that case, there will not be any shortage of funding as well. If you look at all the startups that were mentioned above, each one of them is extensively funded by multiple investors which is evidently reflected in the kind of work that they do. The drone delivery system is a budding area of technology that has the potential to reduce global geographical disparity.

    In our attempts to create a global village out of this world, the strengthening of drones and related AI platforms is of prime importance. However, it is also to be noted that the technology that serves the people through drones can also be misused for various illegal activities. Hence, while research and development in this area are encouraged, it is also important to institute appropriate checks and balances. In that way, this budding technology can benefit the whole of humanity.

    FAQs

    What is the biggest drone delivery company?

    UPS Flight Forward, DHL Parcelcopter, Wing, Matternet, Zipline, Flytrex, and Flirtey are some of the leading drone delivery startups.

    Which company started drone delivery?

    Wing by Alphabet was the first company that launched its commercial drone delivery service in October 2019.

    What companies are leading drone technology?

    DJI, Yuneec, Skydio, and Kespry are some of the leading drone companies in the world.

    Is drone delivery the future?

    Yes, Drones have proven to be great for many logistics companies around the world. In the near future, we might witness drones delivering medicines, food and much more.

  • How Flipkart is delivering vaccines in Telangana – Drone delivery of Vaccine by Flipkart

    India had been severely hit by the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and the country saw a shortage in the availability of vaccines. Even though the country is slowly recovering from the second wave the vaccination in the country is still facing certain problems and the one of the most important problems is related to logistics and supply chain management.

    The e-commerce giant, Flipkart has announced that they would deliver the vaccines in Telangana through drones. Let’s look at the further details of the drone delivery by Flipkart.

    Flipkart Drone Delivery – Latest News
    Flipkart to join hands with Medicines from the sky project for Drone delivery of Vaccine
    Flipkart’s plan of Drone delivery of Vaccine
    Flipkart’s statement on Drone delivery of Vaccine
    Government of Telangana on Drone delivery of Vaccine
    FAQ

    Flipkart Drone Delivery – Latest News

    On 11 June 2021, the e-commerce giant of India, Flipkart had announced that it was going to test the drone delivery facility of the company by delivering vaccines in the state of Telangana. The company conveyed that it would use the learnings from its supply chain that is tech enabled in order to use drones for delivering vaccines and medical supplies in the state.

    The company announced that it had partnered with the Government of Telangana to form an association in order to run the task of delivering the medical supplies and vaccines to the remote areas of the state using the drone technology.

    Flipkart to join hands with Medicines from the sky project for Drone delivery of Vaccine

    Flipkart has conveyed that they will conduct the pilot drone delivery of medical supplies under the Medicines from the sky project. It is a project which outlines the requirement for drone delivery and to assess the proposals which are created under the Healthnet Global Limited and the World Economic Forum.

    The Government of Telangana has decided to work on this project and to implement it into the healthcare supply chain of the state in order to implement drones for reaching the most remote areas in Telangana.

    Flipkart’s plan of Drone delivery of Vaccine

    Flipkart had conveyed that it would use the knowledge that the company has gained from their tech enabled supply chain in order to deploy the drones and to provide health care supply chain support by delivering the medical supplies.

    These are going to be supported by the technologies which the company has developed over the years such as geo-mapping, track and trace of location and routing of shipments.

    Some of these technologies will also be used to deliver the vaccines and medical supplies to the most remote areas where the infrastructure of the road makes it impossible to deliver them. The company will use the technology to conduct Beyond Visual Line of Sight deliveries using the drone. It will make the deliveries really faster and will play a major role in vaccinating the remote areas.

    Number of Daily Vaccine doses in India
    Number of Daily Vaccine doses in India

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    Flipkart’s statement on Drone delivery of Vaccine

    Pranav Saxena who is the distinguished product manager of Flipkart conveyed that the Coronavirus pandemic and the situation has pushed the countries worldwide to adapt to rapid technologies and shift towards robust technologies by developing scalable products. The medicine of the sky project is considered to be a sign towards it.

    He added that the step taken by Flipkart is a quick decision in order to make use of the cutting edge technology for the safety and the wellbeing of the people.

    He also conveyed that the company was proud to partner with the Government of Telangana in leading the association by utilizing the companies subtle understanding of the supply chain and the technologies that are helping and supporting in the automated movement of the medical supplies in completing the emergency requirements of the citizens across the state.

    The company conveyed that even during the disasters or any natural calamities they would deliver the medical supplies and the required products using the drone technology and this will set a place in the industry for providing the necessary products in the time of need.

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    Government of Telangana on Drone delivery of Vaccine

    The Government of Telangana has always been a step ahead in utilizing the technology for improving the lives of citizens. The Telangana Government stated that introducing the drone technology for delivery of vaccines and medical supplies for the citizens in the remote areas is going to be the first ever introduction in the entire country and added that the Government is happy to have partnered with Flipkart towards this initiative.

    Jayesh Ranjan who is the Principal Secretary from the Government of Telangana has conveyed that this initiative will go a long way in testing the best in class technologies and solutions in order to solve the future crisis that will be faced by the society.

    Conclusion

    The drone delivery is considered to be the most effective way to deliver vaccines and to solve the supply chain related problems faced by the country. India is one of the most populated country having a lot of population concentrated in the remote areas, this technology can be a solution for the major crisis faced by the country regarding vaccines if worked effectively.

    FAQ

    Yes, Drone delivery is legal in India but the operations must be limited to visual line of sight and the drone must not carry any dangerous goods.

    Where is Flipkart planning to deliver vaccines?

    Flipkart is planning to conduct drone delivery of vaccines in Telangana and deliver medical supplies under the Medicines from the sky project.

    How many vaccines are there for Covid-19 in India?

    India has authorized three COVID-19 vaccines: Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech, Covishield developed by Oxford/AstraZeneca, Sputnik V developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Russia.