Airbus Helicopters has entered into a significant partnership with Garuda Aerospace, one of India’s leading drone manufacturers, to supply up to 18 Flexrotor Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS).
This agreement will allow Garuda to expand its leasing portfolio by offering both dry and wet lease models to customers, enabling a wide range of civil and para-public missions. These missions include infrastructure inspection, law enforcement support, search and rescue operations, wildfire monitoring, and disaster response, highlighting the versatility of the Flexrotor platform.
Garuda Aerospace’s founder and CEO, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, described the collaboration as a milestone in the company’s international expansion strategy. He noted that Garuda expects to close the fiscal year with a turnover of approximately ₹200 crore, driven by the sale of around 2,500 drones.
To date, the company has sold about 5,000 drones and has served more than 500 enterprise and government clients worldwide. With over one million flight hours logged and a 30 percent share of India’s agri-drone market, Garuda has established itself as a key player across agriculture, defence, and industrial sectors.
The addition of the Flexrotor strengthens Garuda’s ability to deliver high-endurance unmanned solutions for demanding missions. Airbus Helicopters’ Executive Vice President for Global Business, Olivier Michalon, emphasised the growing trust in the Flexrotor for both military and civil applications, noting its continued growth trajectory and increasing adoption for critical missions worldwide.
Jayaprakash further estimated the potential market for such systems at around $5 billion, with Garuda’s U.S. subsidiary expanding operations in North America to support energy, public services, agriculture, defence, and industrial sectors.
The Flexrotor UAS itself is a compact, expeditionary system weighing about 25 kg. Designed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance missions, it can operate for 12–14 hours in typical configurations. Its ability to integrate advanced sensors and electro-optical systems makes it adaptable to diverse mission requirements.
The system’s autonomous launch and recovery capability, requiring only a 3.7 m by 3.7 m area, allows it to operate from confined land spaces or ships without flight decks. This makes it particularly well suited for expeditionary missions where space and logistics are constrained.
By combining Airbus’s advanced technology with Garuda’s established market presence, this partnership positions both companies to meet growing global demand for unmanned aerial solutions. It underscores India’s rising role in the international drone industry and reflects the increasing importance of UAS in both civil and defence applications.
Agencies
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