Garuda Aerospace Raises $1M: India’s Drone Champion Aims for Global Scale
In the buzzing world of drone innovation, Garuda Aerospace has just taken another bold step toward its global ambition. The Chennai-based drone manufacturer has raised $1 million in a bridge round, led by the Narotam Sekhsaria Family Office, with continued backing from existing investors including We Founder Circle.
But this isn’t just another seed funding story. It’s a calculated move in a bigger plan to ramp up production, deepen R&D, and cement Garuda’s place as India’s leading drone-tech exporter.
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Why This Bridge Round Matters
The drone industry in India is maturing rapidly, but it’s still capital-intensive. Garuda’s latest fundraise will fuel its most ambitious scale-up yet:
- Expand production capacity from 8,000 to 15,000 drones annually
- Accelerate in-house R&D for critical drone components and automation
- Boost exports with a target of reaching 50 countries by end of this year
With support from deep-pocketed backers and industry veterans (including MS Dhoni, who is also a brand ambassador), Garuda isn’t just building drones – it’s building an entire ecosystem around them.
What Is Garuda Aerospace?
Founded in 2015, Garuda Aerospace develops and manufactures drones for agriculture, defense, industrial use, and disaster management. It has worked with:
- Government of India, including defense and emergency response
- Private sector clients in logistics, mining, and infrastructure
- Farmers and agribusinesses, with drones that optimize crop spraying and field mapping
Their fleet includes over 50 drone types across 30+ applications. And they’re proudly Make-in-India compliant—aligned with the country’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision for self-reliance.
How Garuda Aerospace Plans to Use the New Funds
✈️ 1. Scale Manufacturing
They aim to almost double annual drone production by upgrading existing factories and expanding to new facilities.
📊 2. R&D Push
A key strategic priority is localizing drone component manufacturing – motors, flight controllers, sensors – and improving AI-driven autonomy.
🌎 3. International Expansion
Garuda has already launched services in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. This round will fuel export operations across 50 countries, including Africa and Latin America.
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Strategic Fit With India’s Policy Goals
Garuda’s momentum is deeply aligned with India’s push toward:
- Digital agriculture & smart farming
- Defense indigenization
- Export-led manufacturing
Their technology plays a crucial role in both civilian and defense applications. And with the government easing drone regulations in recent years, Garuda is well-positioned to lead.
Who’s Backing Garuda Aerospace?
- Narotam Sekhsaria Family Office (new lead investor)
- We Founder Circle (existing investor)
- MS Dhoni (strategic partner and brand ambassador)
- Past participation from Venture Catalysts (in the earlier ₹100 Cr Series B)
Recent Milestones
- Recognized by PM Modi as part of the Startup India showcase
- Recently launched the Garuda Kisan Drone Yatra – an agri-innovation tour across India
- Clocked ₹117 Cr in revenue for FY 2024-25, with four years of profitability
- Awarded government contracts for disaster response and agri-drone adoption
Why Garuda Aerospace Is One to Watch
Garuda’s $1M bridge round isn’t massive by VC standards, but it’s strategic capital — fuel that powers a well-oiled machine already showing scale, profitability, and export-readiness.
In a landscape flooded with drone startups, Garuda stands out not just for its tech, but for its clarity of vision and execution muscle. As they push into global markets and deepen their hardware/software stack, expect them to be one of India’s biggest drone-tech exports.
Where there’s a sky, there’s a drone. And Garuda wants to own that sky.
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