Garuda Aerospace has made significant strides in drone technology and strategic collaborations, prominently showcased at Aero India 2025. The company unveiled eight advanced drones tailored for defence and safety, announced key partnerships, and revealed a major investment in India’s first Drone City. These developments align with India’s push for self-reliance in aerospace technology and position Garuda as a global leader in drone innovation.

Advanced Drone Technologies For Defence and Safety

Garuda Aerospace introduced eight specialised drones at Aero India 2025, targeting critical military and emergency response applications:

Rocket Launcher Drone: Enhances firepower for combat scenarios.

Land Mine Detection & Diffusement System: Safeguards conflict zones.

Logistics Drone: Facilitates transport in challenging terrains.

Thales Garuda UTM: Next-gen unmanned traffic management system developed with Thales.

Firefighting Drone For SDRF: Rapid response for disaster relief.

VR Military Drone Simulator: Trains personnel in combat scenarios.

Grenade & Canister Dropping Drone: Supports loitering munitions.

Life Buoy Drone: Aids Navy and Coast Guard rescue missions.

These innovations underscore Garuda’s focus on integrating AI and autonomous navigation into defence and humanitarian operations.

Strategic Partnerships To Accelerate Innovation

Garuda expanded collaborations with global and domestic leaders to bolster India’s drone ecosystem:

Thales: Co-developing secure Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) solutions and UAV detection systems.

Rajasthan Electronics (REIL) & HFCL: Advancing drone communication and surveillance tech.

DRDO: Joint research on military applications.

TATA Elxsi & Central University of Jammu: Enhancing AI-driven drone capabilities.

These partnerships aim to advance India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance) goals and establish the country as a global drone hub by 2030.

₹100 Crore Investment in India’s First Drone City

Garuda announced a ₹100 crore (~$11.55 million) investment to develop Andhra Pradesh’s Orvakal village into a "Drone City." This hub will focus on:

Cutting-edge R&D in drone technology.

Attracting global talent and fostering start-ups.

Scaling production for domestic and international markets.

The project aligns with initiatives like Namo Drone Didi, empowering rural women through drone pilot training, and supports India’s goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy.

Aero India 2025 (Feb 10–14, Bengaluru) serves as a platform for Garuda to highlight India’s growing aerospace prowess. CEO Agnishwar Jayaprakash emphasized that these advancements will “fuel expansion into new markets and solidify India’s global drone leadership”. With government backing through policies like the 2025-26 Union Budget incentives, Garuda’s innovations signal a transformative phase for India’s defence and commercial drone sectors.

Agencies