The startup is also in the process of prototyping a 50-kg payload drone to further expand its capabilities. “The E-50 kg payload would have a larger wingspan and would be able to traverse up to 80 kms. This will be India’s largest drone and the world’s first electric drone. The E-50 is currently under certification,” Amber Wings founder Satya Chakravarthy told ET.
He is also a Professor of Aerospace Engineering at IIT-Madras.
Anticipating the demand for a 100 kg payload aircraft, he added that the design is ready and the use cases can be agnostic, ranging from defence to civilian markets.
“In recent weeks, we’ve discovered that we can manufacture drones entirely with Indian components, which are significantly cheaper than those sourced from China. We will launch the indigenous version of Vihaa in 1-2 months, reducing the price point by 30 to 40%,” Chakravarthy said.
The Vihaa drone can spray crops with fertilisers, pesticides, and other treatments up to seven times faster than manual methods, helping farmers and businesses save time and resources.
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The company is also focusing on localisation efforts and has outsourced some of the components that can be made in India. Chakravarthy explained that while the country has the capability to produce batteries, the cells will still be imported from China and Taiwan for now. “However, several US manufacturing companies are interested in producing cells in India at a competitive price, allowing us to reduce our reliance on Chinese suppliers.”Collaboration with Regulators
To widen its potential market, the company is also collaborating with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to develop tracking systems using existing 4G networks for commercial drone use in yellow zones and green zones for e-commerce. Amber Wings’ Atva series of drones is designed for package delivery and aerial imaging, addressing the needs of logistics and e-commerce companies.
“While these permissions (operating in yellow zones) can be obtained online, they cannot yet be activated due to a lack of tracking technology for drones. So we are working with regulators to overcome these problems by demonstrating that effective operations can be achieved with minimal ground infrastructure. This should happen in about a year’s time, where private players also become aggregators,” the founder said.
The other technical issue he pointed out was that the antennas on mobile towers are currently oriented downwards, but for effective drone tracking, additional antennas will need to be installed to face upwards, or a parallel network would have to be developed.
“Currently, e-commerce companies rely on a network of dark stores throughout the city to ensure deliveries within 10 minutes. However, this approach often involves high rental costs, especially in prime real estate locations. Our proposal is to extend delivery distances to 30-40 kms within a 10 to 15-minute timeframe.”
Chakravarthy explained that this model could allow for efficient delivery over longer distances, making it feasible for e-commerce companies to establish distribution centres on the outskirts of cities and cater to suburban areas, reducing overhead costs.
