FedEx and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras have successfully completed India’s first intra-city drone delivery flight trials in Bangalore, marking a landmark achievement in the evolution of urban logistics, announced IIT-Madras in a press release.

The initiative underscores FedEx’s commitment to advancing next-generation, technology-enabled supply chains in India and highlights the growing role of academia-industry partnerships in shaping future logistics ecosystems.

The trials validated a mid-mile aerial logistics service connecting Electronic City Phase II with a site near Bangalore International Airport Limited. Conducted under the research framework of the FedEx SMART Centre at IIT-Madras, the exercise tested high-speed drone operations in complex urban airspace and assessed their potential to enhance network efficiency while reducing reliance on congested road infrastructure.


This effort forms part of FedEx’s broader global strategy to explore innovative, safe, and scalable logistics solutions.

Nitin Navneet Tatiwala, vice president of marketing, customer experience, and air network for FedEx in the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and Africa, emphasised that innovation is central to FedEx’s role in enabling global commerce.

He noted that the milestone reflects the SMART Centre’s wider research agenda, which spans air cargo optimisation, electric vehicle integration, and advanced demand forecasting. Together, these initiatives aim to build resilient and sustainable supply chain ecosystems in collaboration with academia, industry, and policymakers.

Through detailed analysis of aerial corridors, the SMART Centre demonstrated that a 53 km road journey, typically taking over 60 minutes, could be replaced by an aerial route of approximately 39–42 km. During the trials, this reduced one-way transit time to nearly 21 minutes, showcasing the potential for transformative improvements in time-critical logistics. The flight path involved coordinated navigation through Airport Yellow and Red Zones, with all necessary permissions secured from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Prof. Satyanarayanan R Chakravarthy, core faculty member at the FedEx SMART Centre, explained that the trials represent a significant leap in the mission to create sustainable and progressive supply chain models.

By integrating advanced aerial robotics into urban logistics, the initiative moves beyond theoretical research to prove the efficacy of high-impact, future-ready solutions capable of redefining the global logistics landscape.

Prof. Arshinder Kaur, professor in-charge of the SMART Centre, highlighted the long-term impact of the trials for Indian logistics. She described the high-speed drone delivery demonstration as a strong testament to the centre’s commitment to driving innovation across modern supply chains and accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies.

Operations were conducted at an altitude of 120 metres in line with regulatory guidelines. Safety systems included an autonomous flight termination mechanism, return-to-home capability, and anti-collision strobe lighting. The implementation partner for this landmark trial was Amber Wings, a pioneering deep-tech start-up incubated at IIT Madras and founded by Prof. Satyanarayanan R. Chakravarthy.

IIT-Madras