New Delhi: US drone major Skydio has tied up with Indian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) company Aeroarc for joint manufacturing here for the Indo-Pacific region.
Skydio, which was among the top five US drone-makers approved by the defence department there for purchase by the federal government, after the use of China-made UAVs was banned in 2020, says it will “support the establishment of India as a global hub for advanced defence technology.”
Skydio will bring “advanced autonomous flight technology” to India. Its deal with Aeroarc will develop, manufacture, deploy and support small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS).
“The Skydio-Aeroarc collaboration will serve needs of the Indian defence ministry as well as other global defence customers in the Indo-Pacific region,” the company said.
Without disclosing the investment figure, Aeroarc MD Arjun Aggarwal said it will be “a significant amount” for this partnership with Skydio, which was valued upwards of $2.2-billion last year, and the targeted revenue for this venture is about $300-500 million by the end of this decade.
Skydio CEO & co-founder Adam Bry said: “…we’re excited to continue our investment in India and partner with Aeroarc on critical, dual-use products and capabilities… that help allied nations in the Indo-Pacific region deter conflict and protect troops. We believe autonomous drone technology is central to the future of India’s defence innovation strategy.”
Aggarwal said: “Our partnership symbolises the strengthening defence and technological ties between India and the US. Aligned with our prime minister’s ‘make in India for the world’ initiative, we will locally manufacture state of the art drones, catering to both domestic and international markets. This will amplify India’s role in the global defence supply chain and enhance the resilience of both nations against supply disruptions, as recently seen due to situations in Ukraine and the Middle East.”
