Drones are being used extensively on a commercial basis all across the globe. Drones can be utilized for several tasks, including aerial photography, filmmaking, or transportation of vaccines and medicines to distant regions of the country. As expert forecasts show explosive growth in the industry, investments in drone technology and top drone companies in India are surging. According to studies, the drone market is expected to reach $1.21 billion by the end of 2022.
To maximize the utility of drones in public life, the Government of India has been implementing its drone policy for the past few years. According to stock market experts, the Government of India is planning to expand the drone industry beyond the defense sector by endorsing the top drone companies in India.
GoI has now allowed the use of drones in agriculture, healthcare, and other sectors. After the release of the new drone policy in July 2021, drone coverage has increased from 300 kg to 500 kg. The Indian government is expected to allow the use of drone technology in the supply-chain systems for e-commerce giants like Flipkart and Amazon.
Listed below are the top drone companies in India which are expanding their operations by leaps and bounds. However, the numbering is not to be considered as the company ranking or an order of preference.
- Zen Technologies Limited
With over 1,000 training systems shipped across the world, Zen Technologies Limited is one of the top drone companies in India, building training systems for combat readiness. Established in 1993, Zen Technologies Limited designs, develops, and manufactures combat training solutions for the defense and security forces training across the world. Zen Technologies has headquarters in Hyderabad with several offices across India and US. Zen Technologies produces 40+ different Live Fire, Virtual and Constructive, and Live Instrumented training systems to support individual and collective training capabilities. The company’s vision is to be a leading global defense training provider through innovative and cost-effective solutions.
- Paras Defence And Space
To expand the work on drone technologies, Paras Defence and Space has partnered with several multinational corporations over the years. Paras offers a wide range of drone technology based products and solutions for the defense and space applications, making it one of the top drone companies in India. With more than 40 years of sustained business growth in Defence & Space Engineering, the company is involved in technologies for Rocket and Missiles, Space Research, Drone Technology, Naval Systems, Land and Armored Vehicles, etc. Paras has an exceptional manufacturing setup with a workforce of 400+, having the capability to offer solutions from design to commissioning of small to large systems. The company focuses on technology research and development, distinguishing it as a true IDDM company in the Indian defense sector. The company has a vibrant team working on creating future technologies and providing cutting-edge solutions for the customers.
- DCM Shriram Industries
In 2021, DCM Shriram Industries invested $1 million by buying a 30% stake in the Turkish drone company Zyrone Dynamics. The company is a top business conglomerate and drone manufacturer in India with an annual group turnover of ₹9,849 crores. DCM Shriram Industries has a total turnover of approximately ₹8,000 crore. This diversified manufacturing company focuses on the development and manufacturing of versatile drones to target the defense sector and beyond. The company has a research and development (R&D) center in Delhi and also has licenses to manufacture defense drones at its facilities across India.
- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is the largest aerospace and defense drone manufacturer in India the world today, and one of the top drone companies in India. HAL is an Indian government owned defense and aerospace company, which is headquartered in Bengaluru, India. The company is currently engaged in the production of the first 5 Tapas drones in India. In 2021, HAL received a proposal from the Indian Air Force (IAF) to supply 70 basic trainer HTT40 aircraft. HAL is primarily involved in the design, development, and manufacturing of a wide range of products that include drones, aircraft, helicopters, aero-engines, etc.
- TechEagle Innovations
TechEagle Innovations is India’s first and largest manufacturer of high-speed, long-range, and heavy-payload delivery drone logistics systems. In 2018, Zomato acquired TechEagle Innovations, a top drone manufacturer in India, to start working on drone-based delivery of foods. Recently, India Post satisfactorily finished its very first drone mail delivery trial project with this Gurugram-based startup. TechEagle became the first Indian company to present their solutions to various stakeholders in the GCC region at Dubai Expo 2020 and to partner with Astral Aviation to export drones.
- Asteria Aerospace Limited
Asteria Aerospace Limited is one of the top drone companies in India, providing actionable intelligence from aerial data. Asteria designs and manufacturers thoroughly customized drone solutions for government and enterprise customers. The company utilizes its in-house software development, hardware design, and manufacturing capabilities to provide top-notch drone technology. Asteria is a trusted company that provides long-term, quality-focused, and reliable products and services. It caters to sectors such as the defense and homeland security, agriculture, oil and gas, energy and utilities, telecommunications, mining, and construction sectors. The company is a subsidiary of Jio Platforms, a majority-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries. The company strives to develop innovative and reliable drone-based hardware and software solutions that transform aerial data into actionable intelligence.
- Throttle Aerospace Systems
Throttle Aerospace Systems (TAS) is one of the fastest growing top drone companies in India. TAS is a drone hardware and software maker based in Bangalore, India. The company was formed by a team of aviation enthusiasts having 15+ years of professional experience in design, engineering, manufacturing, software development, and supply chain pertaining to aerospace and defense industries worldwide. TAS is India’s first DGCA approved drone maker for civil drones and also has a license to manufacture military drones from MOD. Recently, RattanIndia Enterprises acquired a 60% stake in Throttle Aerospace Systems.
- RattanIndia Enterprises
The flagship company of Rattanindia Group, RattanIndia Enterprises Limited focuses on businesses with cutting edge technologies which have the potential to transform human lives. RattanIndia Enterprises believes that the drone industry is set to positively impact the core sectors of the economy. The drone technology will prove to be substantially transformative by providing cost effective business solutions for developing countries like India, the company says. RattanIndia Enterprises has made strategic investments in a US-based market leader in urban drone logistics, Matternet. The company has also started the drone solution business in India in its completely owned subsidiary NeoSky India Limited
- General Aeronautics Limited
Recently, Adani Enterprises acquired a 50% stake in General Aeronautics Limited, which is a top drone manufacturing company in India, providing commercial drone-based solutions for crop protection. General Aeronautics was established to address aircraft design in all its aspects from a comprehensive system-level perspective. Farming techniques have substantially evolved over the last few decades. The use of drones, which are also named as unmanned aerial vehicles, in farming is one among its various evolutions. Agricultural drones are a big step to set foot on sustainable farm management with a promise to deliver socio-economic benefits to meet the challenges of feeding an ever-growing population.
- Aarav Unmanned Services
Aarav Unmanned Services is the first professional drone manufacturing company in India providing solutions for enterprises. AUS is a start-up from IIT Kanpur and is presently headquartered in Bangalore. In the last 5 years, drones manufactured at AUS are constantly setting world-class technology benchmarks and have made it one of the top drone companies in India. The company excels in drone intelligence, hardware optimization, and design innovation. AUS is an undisputed leader of commercial drones in India after having served key players across private and public sectors. In 2021 AUS had won a contract to deploy drones across four states viz. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan under the Indian government’s SVAMITVA scheme.
- Skylark Drones
Skylark Drones is one of the top drone companies in India, founded in 2014 by Mrinal Pai and Mughilan Thiru Ramasamy in 2014. The company’s head office is located in Bangalore, India. The startup uses drones to gather data. It analyzes and then provides the data to the enterprises related to mining, infrastructure, agriculture and renewable energy. The company also offers solutions to manage compliance solutions and drone operations. Skylark Drones, which has been helping food delivery app Swiggy get its drones off the ground, raised $3 million in its pre-Series A funding round co-led by Zomato’s investor Info Edge Ventures and Indian Angel Network fund. The startup has also raised funding of $756 from Vruddhi, Enzen, and IKP EDEN.
- Zyrone Dynamics
Zyrone Dynamics is a drone manufacturing company in India, founded in 2018 with a mission to be a game changer in the drone industry. Zyrone Dynamics offers a wide range of engineering services in the area of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Zyrone Dynamics facilities a unique unmanned aerial platform and even complete unmanned system solutions to meet broad customer requirements with an agile and experienced team. The company also offers easy to customize, scalable conventional platforms with innovative touches which extends capabilities of regular multi-rotor and fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
