Thales, Garuda join hands to build secure drone operations in India

New Delhi : Aerospace industry leaders Thales and Garuda Aerospace on Tuesday announced a collaboration to promote the development of the drone ecosystem in India.

As part of the agreement, Thales will provide expertise in the field of unmanned traffic management (UTM) solutions, UAV detection and system integration, while Garuda will bring its skills in the manufacture and use of UAVs, as well as its expertise in the Indian market.

Established in 2015, Garuda Aerospace has a vast fleet of over 2,500 drones and 4,000 pilots across 400 districts.

This collaboration, said the companies, aims to foster innovation and advance the development of technological solutions that can enable safe and secure drone operations and help the growth of drone-based applications in the country.

The government is providing a robust foundation for the drone ecosystem, fostering opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and growth.

"This collaboration aligns well with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) vision, and seeks to support the country in realising its ambition to become a major global hub for drones by 2030," said Ashish Saraf, VP and Country Director, Thales in India.

Thales has built end-to-end solutions for drone integration and the development of advanced UTM systems.

The company works closely with civil aviation authorities and air navigation service providers to deliver strategic UTM capabilities, including registration, authorisation and geo-awareness.

Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO, Garuda Aerospace, said that ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 100 Garuda drones in 100 villages, they cemented market dominance in the precision agri-drone segment, where 50 per cent of agri drones are from Garuda.

"Equipped with the largest fleet in India coupled with Thales' UTM technology and their worldwide experience, Garuda Aerospace will aim to revolutionise the drone sector and play a key role in the transformation of India into a global drone powerhouse," said Jayaprakash.

Present in India since 1953, Thales has over 2,200 employees in the country.

Founded in 2015 with a team of five, Garuda has scaled to a more than 200-member team. It manufactures 30 types of drones and offers 50 types of services.