Top Drone Companies in India

The Indian drone industry is booming thanks to the new opportunities thrown up by the ‘Drone Rules 2021’ announced by the government. Drones were earlier considered as experimental gadgets but now they have entered various sectors like agriculture, construction and more. In this article we will look into the top drone companies in India, their offerings and what sets them apart.

Drone Industry in India

The drone industry in India is in development stage. The government has allowed drones in various sectors including agriculture and healthcare. In May 2022, during the drone festival in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to drones as a ‘game-changer’ in agriculture. He also mentioned their role in delivering vaccines to remote areas of the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. MoCA has allocated a fund of INR 120 crore for companies manufacturing drones and drone components between 2023-2025.

The Indian drone market is expected to grow big time, from USD 654 million in 2024 to USD 1,437 million by 2029, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.0% during this period. In terms of volume, the number of drones in the market is expected to rise from 10,803 units in 2024 to 61,393 units by 2029.

Common Applications of Drones in India

Drones have become a game changer across various sectors in India, proving their worth. From agriculture to surveillance, they are changing the way things are done. Let’s explore the many uses of drones in the vast expanse of India.

• Aerial Photography and Videography: Drones, equipped with high-quality cameras, capture aerial photos and videos for purposes like journalism, filmmaking, real estate, surveying, and more.
• Mapping and Surveying: Drones can generate highly accurate 3D maps and models of terrain and structures for purposes like land surveying, urban planning, and more.
• Agriculture: In agriculture, drones are utilized for crop surveys, plant health monitoring, and even the application of pesticides and fertilizers over fields.
• Delivery and Logistics: Companies are investigating the use of drones to deliver packages to customers in remote or hard-to-reach areas.
• Search and Rescue: Drones equipped with thermal cameras and other sensors aid search and rescue teams in locating missing persons in remote or hazardous areas.
• Construction and Infrastructure Inspection: Drones play a crucial role in inspecting structures such as bridges, pipelines, and buildings for damage, defects, and maintenance requirements.
• Security and Surveillance: Drones serve surveillance and security purposes, including monitoring crowds at events, border surveillance, and tracking criminal activity.
• Wildlife Conservation: Equipped with cameras and sensors, drones contribute to monitoring and tracking wildlife populations, including endangered species.

Top 10 Drone Companies in India

Incidentally, the best drone brands in India are not listed and the drone stocks listed in the market are not necessarily direct plays on the industry. Nevertheless, in case you are looking for the top drone stocks in India, here is a quick list.

Top Drone Manufacturing Companies in India

#1 IdeaForge – Biggest Among the Best Drone Company in India

IdeaForge, backed by industry giants Infosys and Qualcomm is a leading drone technology company in India. They offer a wide range of drone solutions which includes surveillance, mapping and inspection. With 50% market share in Indian unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) market in FY 2022, IdeaForge is the undisputed leader among best drone companies in India. Their drones are used for border security and disaster management. IdeaForge also offers software solutions like a drone data management system where clients can manage their data efficiently.

The company has filed IPO documents and got SEBI approval, making it one of the top drone stocks in India.

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#2 Quidich Innovation Labs – Aerial Cinematography and Photography Experts

Located in Mumbai, Quidich Innovation Labs is a service provider for aerial cinematography and photography using drones. Founded by Rahat Kulshreshtha, the company has a impressive track record of working on many big projects which includes Bollywood films and major sporting events like IPL and Pro Kabaddi League. With a portfolio of over 350 film projects, Quidich Innovation Labs is known for its expertise in the field.

#3 Asteria Aerospace – Beneficiary in Drone PLI Scheme

Founded in 2011 by aerospace engineers Nihar Vartak and Neel Mehta, Asteria Aerospace is an Indian drone company that creates drone-based solutions to provide actionable intelligence. They are one of the 12 top drone manufacturing companies in India shortlisted for the government’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. A big milestone for them was in 2019 when they became a majority-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries’ Jio Platforms.

Apart from serving telecom tower surveillance for Reliance Industries, Asteria is looking to take their Drone-as-a-Service to companies beyond the Reliance group. They have shown growth with revenue of INR 41.57 crore in FY 2024.

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#4 Garuda Aerospace – Kisan Drone Services

Headquartered in Chennai, Garuda Aerospace provides cost-effective drone-based solutions and software and analytical tools for various industries. Their expertise is in agriculture, infrastructure and disaster management. Garuda Aerospace has won awards for their innovative solutions including the NDRF Award for their products and services.

A big achievement for this Indian drone company was developing an Anti-drone system with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to counter foreign enemy drones. They have got good backing with USD 5 million in seed funding and are part of the drone PLI scheme. They have also partnered with Swiggy to do grocery delivery trials in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. These kind of commercial opportunities make Garuda one of the most interesting drone manufacturers in India.

Garuda Aerospace has announced to invest INR 100 crore (approximately USD 11.6 million) to set up a ‘Drone City’ in Orvakal village, Andhra Pradesh.

#5 DJI India – Unmatched Quality and Performance

DJI India, a subsidiary of DJI, the world’s leading drone manufacturer, is known for its great cameras, easy to use interface and reliability. DJI’s drones cater to a wide range of users, from consumers to professionals. Their product line includes consumer drones, professional drones and a host of accessories. DJI India also offers complete repair and maintenance services making them one of the top drone companies in India.

DJI’s drones are used in various industries from filmmaking to agriculture. They also offer software solutions like DJI FlightHub which helps manage drone fleets. DJI India’s drone prices range from INR 15,999 for DJI Tello Drone Boost Combo to INR 6,90,000 for DJI Phantom 4 RTK Drone with Base Station for mapping.

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#6 Aereo – Commercial Drone Making Company in India

Aereo – earlier known as Aarav Unmanned Systems (AUS) – is a technology startup born out of IIT Kanpur by Vipul Singh and Suhas Banshiwala. The company is focused on providing enterprise drone solutions. Their drone solutions cover a wide range of applications – surveying, mapping, industrial inspection and more. Aereo has achieved some big numbers – mapped over 55 Lac acres of land, over 200 mines, 35 cities, 25,000 villages across India. This Indian drone company also offers a drone data management system which helps clients in managing data efficiently.

Aereo’s journey is backed by prominent investors like StartupXseed Ventures, Anurag Ramdasan and GrowX Ventures.

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#7 Dhaksha Unmanned Systems (DUMS) – Another Drone PLI Scheme Beneficiary

Founded in 2019, Dhaksha Unmanned Systems (DUMS) provides drone solutions across various industries like agriculture, mining, defense and surveillance. They have battery operated and petrol engine based agriculture drones in their product portfolio showcasing the versatility of this Indian drone company.

The startup recently raised an undisclosed amount from Coromandel International’s VC arm, Dare Ventures. Since Coromandel is already into agricultural solutions, it’s likely that Dhaksha Unmanned Systems will be used to introduce a ‘Drone as a Service’ model in agritech space. Dhaksha Unmanned Systems is also a beneficiary of drone PLI scheme.

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#8 Avian Aerospace – Focusing on Environmental Monitoring and Conservation

Founded in 2017 by Dineshkumar Chandrasekaran, Avian Aerospace manufactures agriculture and industrial drones. Their services include Aerial Mapping, Drone Surveys and Inspection and have completed over 85 projects. Avian Aerospace is strong on environmental monitoring and conservation initiatives making them a unique player in the industry.

What sets Avian Aerospace apart is their dedicated focus on using drones for environmental monitoring and conservation. They have been working on projects to monitor wildlife populations and combat habitat destruction. With a team of 15 people, Avian Aerospace is making a significant impact in this space.

#9 Aero360 – Dronix Technologies – High-Performance Drones for Surveillance and Industrial Survey

Founded in 2017, Aero360 builds high performance autonomous drones for surveillance, monitoring and industrial survey applications. Their product range includes industrial inspections, security solutions and surveillance services. With over 50 projects completed in India, they are making waves in the industry.

As a bootstrapped company, they have received grants under the MSME scheme to support their growth. Their products are priced between INR 3,00,000 to INR 30,00,000 to cater to the needs of their target market.

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#10 Skylark Drones – Transforming Data into Insights

Based in Bangalore, Skylark Drones is into drone analytics and work-site intelligence and provides precise data for informed business decisions. Their clients are from mining, infrastructure, renewable energy and agriculture industries.

With over 100 clients including Tata Steel, Hindustan Zinc and Hindalco, Skylark Drones offers a full range of services – surveying, mapping and inspection. With over 1,00,000 autonomous flights and 10 million images captured, Skylark Drones has established itself as a trusted and reliable player in the industry.

In a recent pre-series A funding round, the company raised USD 3 million led by InfoEdge Ventures and IAN Fund.

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This compilation of the top drone companies in India sheds light on their distinctive offerings and contributions to the rapidly expanding drone industry. While the list of drone stocks in India is different from this list, it is anticipated that this landscape will change as more and more companies go for stock market listing. Drone stocks in India will see a lot more action as regulatory support kicks in. The drone industry in India is regulated by DGCA.

Currently the Indian government has released a provisional list of 23 beneficiaries under the drone PLI scheme. This list includes 12 drone manufacturers in India and 11 drone component manufacturers.

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Top Drone Manufacturers in India FAQs