Yali Aerospace, based in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, is making significant advances in indigenous Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) drone technology. Founded in 2022 by a husband and wife duo, Dinesh Baluraj and Anugraha, the startup owns its manufacturing and testing facilities in Thanjavur, aiming to revolutionise drone applications across healthcare, surveillance, and logistics sectors.​

The company designs fixed-wing drones with VTOL capabilities, allowing drones to take off and land vertically while benefiting from efficient fixed-wing flight. Their models include a 7 kg payload drone with a 150 km range and 1-hour endurance directed towards medical supply deliveries, and a lighter drone (1–3 kg payload) with up to 4-hour endurance for mapping and surveillance tasks.​

Yali Aerospace’s drones address critical challenges like delivering medicines and organs to remote hospitals, and enhancing surveillance operations for mapping, anti-poaching, deforestation monitoring, and combating smuggling. The start-up actively pursues partnerships with hospitals and government agencies for pilot projects and wider deployment.​

The firm enjoys backing from Sridhar Vembu, founder of Zoho Corporation, whose support fuels Yali’s mission to uplift rural healthcare and security through cutting-edge drone solutions. This investment aligns with Vembu’s vision of leveraging technology for rural development.​

Yali Aerospace also aims at future expansions, including plans for unmanned air ambulances within three years, following necessary regulatory approvals. Their outreach targets international markets such as Europe and Africa, signalling an ambition to establish a global footprint for their indigenous VTOL drones.​

Further, Yali provides hands-on training for drone operation, even for personnel without prior flying experience, enhancing operational readiness and accessibility for defence and civil sectors alike.​

In sum, Yali Aerospace represents a remarkable stride in India’s drone development ecosystem. Their indigenous VTOL drones blend innovation with social impact, promising vital services to remote areas while positioning India as a leader in drone technology manufacturing and deployment.​

IDN (With Agency Inputs)