~ Launch received wide participation from key members of Bharat Drone Association ~
Shri Kamlesh Paswan, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Rural Development, yesterday inaugurated Garuda Aerospace’s new Agri-Drone Indigenization Facility in Chennai, India. Additionally, the Hon’ble Minister also inaugurated 300 Centres of Excellence (CoE) and flagged off Garuda Aerospace’s DGCA approved Train the Trainer (TTT) program. Supporting this milestone launch were key members of the Bharat Drone Association (BDA). The launch also witnessed a dynamic live demonstration of Agri-Drones by highly skilled Drone Didis showcasing Garuda Aerospace’s commitment to fostering self-reliance and innovation within the burgeoning drone ecosystem.
Spread across 35,000 square feet Garuda Aerospace’s state-of-the-art Agri-Drone Indigenization Facility is the country’s first of its kind hub for the design, manufacturing, and rigorous testing of advanced Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The new facility marks the expansion of Garuda Aerospace’s existing manufacturing unit and is a major leap in advancing drone manufacturing and skill development in India. The Indigenous Agri-Drone Manufacturing Facility aims to locally produce 7 subsystems and 33 parts, furthering the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Garuda Aerospace has been a strong advocate for local manufacturing. Additionally, the 300 Centres of Excellence will function as after-sales support service centers, generating employment opportunities and training the next generation of drone pilots.
The Train the Trainer (TTT) program on the other hand is Garuda Aerospace’s flagship skill building and development initiative which is designed to empower educators and professionals to become certified drone instructors. TTT extends comprehensive and hands-on training that encompasses UAS operations, maintenance, understanding and following safety protocols, in accordance with DGCA regulations. TTT’s specialized modules in teaching methodology ensures effective knowledge dissemination.
Additionally, the strategically located 300 Centres of Excellence (CoEs) across India in collaboration with academic institutions and industry partners will advance drone innovation, research, and skill development through a strong partner network. These initiatives collaboratively represent a transformative step toward building a robust, future-ready drone ecosystem in the country.
Expressing his thoughts at the launch Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Shri Kamlesh Paswan said, “I have known Agnishwar for five years as a younger brother, but today I was truly amazed to witness his work as CEO of Garuda Aerospace. Providing employment to over 140 people is a commendable step toward fulfilling Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi ji’s vision of empowering youth through entrepreneurship. I was filled with pride seeing a completely Made-in-India initiative led by a young individual making contributions not just in agriculture. What touched me most was seeing women, who once never stepped out of their homes, now confidently flying drones thanks to the visionary Drone Didi initiative. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for Garuda Aerospace’s continued growth and success.”
Thanking the Hon’ble Minister for his presence, founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, said “We had three monumental inaugurations in the presence of our Hon’ble Minister today including our milestone launch of the Indigenous Agri-Drone Facility, something we have been working on for a long time. Our Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi ji gave us a vision in 2022 to manufacture one lakh Made-in-India drones by 2026. We have delivered 4,000 drones so far, and are confident we will achieve this target in the next two years. Our new facility is equipped to manufacture over 33 different parts and 7 subsystems; this reinforces our commitment to self-reliance. All of these efforts and initiatives have powered Garuda Aerospace to become one of India’s most valuable drone startups, with a fast-growing global footprint. We are truly grateful to the Hon’ble Minister for joining us in person and supporting this Made-in-India mission.”
The Hon’ble Union Minister praised Garuda Aerospace and its Founder and CEO, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, for their visionary efforts in making India self-reliant in drone technology. He stated that Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s vision of transforming India into a Global Drone Hub can truly be realized through the dedication of young entrepreneurs like Agnishwar and innovative companies like Garuda Aerospace .He also lauded the Bharat Drone Association for uniting local component manufacturers under one roof at the Indigenization Factory, a state-of-the-art facility capable of manufacturing over 1 lakh drones in the next two years. The Minister expressed his admiration, noting that he has never seen 2,000 agri-drones in a single location, as he witnessed at the Garuda Indigenous Manufacturing Facility—a remarkable feat showcasing India’s capability to lead in drone innovation and scale.
Garuda Aerospace is a beneficiary of government schemes like Namo Drone Didi, SMAM subsidy, PLI, among others. The company has also supplied 450 out of the 500 drones under the Namo Drone Didi scheme and is now ready to supply additional 2,000 drones under the scheme. Garuda Aerospace is also India’s first drone company to receive dual DGCA certifications in both manufacturing and training. The institution of this all-in-one facility for manufacturing, training, and research further strengthens Garuda Aerospace’s position as one of India’s leading drone-tech companies. By focusing on indigenization, building a skilled workforce, and driving innovation through 300 CoEs, Garuda Aerospace is making drone technology more accessible, affordable, sustainable and impactful with a keen focus on the global agri economy.
About Garuda Aerospace
Garuda Aerospace is India’s leading Drone tech start-up focused on disrupting two major multi-billion-dollar sectors, Precision Agri Tech and Industry 4.0 upgradation. Garuda Aerospace is asset-light, recession-proof, and agnostic and focuses on eliminating labourers in the agricultural field with drones focusing on designing, building, and customisation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Founded in 2015 with a team of 5, Garuda has scaled to a 200+ member team, having the largest drone fleet in India with over 400 drones and 500 pilots operating in 84 cities. Garuda Aerospace manufactures 30 types of drones and offers 50 types of services. Having served over 750 clients, including TATA, Godrej, Adani, Reliance, Swiggy, Flipkart, Delhivery, L&T, Survey of India, SAIL, NTPC, IOCL, Smart cities, Intel, Amazon, Wipro, IISC, MIT Boston, NHAI for various projects, the company recently partnered with global giants such as Lockheed Martin, Cognizant and Elbit Systems. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji launched the drone yatra, where 100 drones were flagged off simultaneously across 100 villages in India. Garuda Aerospace is the first drone company to get DGCA approvals for Type Certification and Remote Pilot Training Organisation. Garuda is on a mission to impact 1 billion lives positively using affordable precision Drone Technology. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has invested in the company and is the Brand Ambassador.