Garuda Aerospace Invests In Indigenous Defence Drone Startup Zuppa

Garuda Aerospace has made a strategic investment in MapmyIndia-backed drone manufacturing startup Zuppa Neo Navigation Technologies that specializes in cyber-secure drones and advanced autopilot systems. 

The investment of Garuda Aerospace in Zuppa is a significant step in strengthening the Make in India drone industry and supports the government's goal of promoting advanced homegrown defense technologies.

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Reason Behind This Strategic Investment

With this partnership, Chennai-based Garuda Aerospace and Zuppa aim to drive innovation, expand their market reach and position India as a global leader in secure drone technology. Zuppa is one of only seven companies worldwide with proprietary technology in secure autopilot systems, which are crucial for unmanned aerial systems (UAS). 

The collaboration will focus on joint development and market growth, accelerating the creation of next-generation drone solutions. Zuppa leads in cyber-secure autopilot technology, while Garuda Aerospace helps scale adoption through its strengths in financing, operations and customer acquisition.

Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder & CEO of Garuda Aerospace, said “At Garuda Aerospace, we strive hard with concentrated efforts to not just be at the forefront of India’s drone revolution but also in ensuring we have state of the art secure and safe technologies to offer. Our investment in Zuppa aligns with our vision of strengthening our defence capabilities and offering through homegrown, secure and cutting-edge solutions. This investment reinforces our focus on building a robust, self-sufficient drone ecosystem that can cater to both domestic and global markets.”

Sai Pattabiram, Founder and Managing Director of Zuppa, said, “India has a unique opportunity to emerge as a ‘Global Hub for Secure Drones by 2030.’ However, achieving this goal requires the ecosystem to shift from assembling imported components to a well-structured, cooperative, Drone Startup Zuppa tiered system similar to those in the aerospace and automotive industries. This partnership between two pioneering Indian drone companies sets a benchmark for future collaborations, driving the growth of the indigenous drone sector.”

Venkatesh Sai, Co-founder and Technical Director at Zuppa, said, “This partnership holds immense potential for mutual success. Our collaboration with Garuda Aerospace is a true win-win, enabling us to focus on core technological advancements and maintain our competitive edge in autopilot and cyber-secure drone technology. Meanwhile, Garuda Aerospace leverages its strengths in financing, operations and customer acquisition to drive expansion across diverse applications and geographies.”

With the government's strong focus on Atmanirbhar Bharat and increasing defense partnerships, Garuda Aerospace’s investment in Zuppa marks a major shift in India’s drone industry. The company has also teamed up with Tata Elxsi to set up a design and engineering center to develop homegrown drone technologies, supporting sectors like defense, agriculture and smart cities under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

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