Indian drone startup Airbound has raised $37 million in Series A funding with a big goal: making drone deliveries affordable enough to compete with trucks.
Based in Bengaluru, the company is developing lightweight, self-flying drones that take off vertically and then move forward like regular aircraft.
Airbound says its drones have already completed more than 13,000 autonomous flights across India. More than 1,000 of those flights were carried out with Narayana Health to transport medical samples.
The company’s current drone can carry around 2.2 pounds of cargo, while its next version is expected to carry up to 11 pounds.
Airbound is also working on a three-city drone delivery network in Andhra Pradesh, covering healthcare, retail, and e-commerce.
The company’s long-term aim is simple: make air delivery affordable enough to compete with road transport for the right types of packages.
There is still a major hurdle, though. Large-scale drone delivery will need regulatory approval for BVLOS flights, which allow drones to travel beyond the operator’s direct line of sight.
If Airbound can tackle both the technology and regulatory challenges, drones could become a regular part of India’s delivery network.
If drone technology interests you, the full story on WikiGlitz is worth a quick read.
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