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The M.S. Dhoni-backed Garuda Aerospace has invested ₹1 crore in Chennai-based Zuppa, a deep-tech start-up specialising in cyber-secure drones and advanced autopilot systems.
Through this investment, Garuda Aerospace and Zuppa will now partner to drive innovation and expand market reach. Zuppa leads in cyber-secure autopilot advancements, while Garuda Aerospace scales adoption through its strengths in financing, operations, and customer acquisition.
Speaking on the company’s investment in Zuppa, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, founder & CEO of Garuda Aerospace, said, “Our investment in Zuppa aligns with our vision of strengthening our defence capabilities and offering homegrown, secure, and cutting-edge solutions.”
He further said that, in the next one year, bis company would increase its capacity and deliver around 10,000-15,000 drones. Since its inception in 2015, Garuda Aerospace has made and sold around 3,000 drones, of which over 2,500 are agriculture drones, 300 Droni drones (consumers) and the remaining made for defence, mining and inspection purposes. “Garuda is Dual DGCA Approved, so we make around 30 different types of drones,” Mr. Jayaprakash said.
Sai Pattabiram, founder and managing director of Zuppa, said, “This partnership between two pioneering Indian drone companies sets a benchmark for future collaborations, driving the growth of the indigenous drone sector.”
“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,” said Venkatesh Sai, Co-founder and Technical Director at Zuppa.
Recently, Garuda Aerospace partnered with Tata Elxsi to establish a design and engineering centre for developing indigenous drone technologies, supporting defence, agriculture, and smart cities under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The start-up also launched eight advanced drones for defence, safety, and logistics at Aero India 2025, showcasing cutting-edge technology for disaster management and military operations this year.
Published – March 06, 2025 11:47 pm IST
