Garuda Aerospace partners with Lockheed Martin for new drone deal

Chennai-based Garuda Aerospace has signed a deal with Lockheed Martin Canada CDL Systems to integrate its locally made drones with Canada bases company’s advanced Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) software solutions, reported The Economic Times.

As part of the partnership, the companies will closely work to investigate prospects to create drone-based service applications in industries like industrial inspection, mining, large-scale mapping, agriculture and defence.

Vehicles that can carry out data-collection missions without a human on board are referred to as “Uncrewed Systems”. These vehicles can be aerial, terrestrial, or marine. They may also include related components like sensors and communications software. Drones fall under the aerial category, hence UAS software solutions are required.

Enabling connection in semi-urban and rural areas is one of the primary applications that Garuda wants to introduce through this collaboration. The drones deployed to spray pesticides will also serve as repeaters for network signals, similar to routers hovering over enormous areas.

Agnishwar Jayaprakash, the founder of Garuda Aerospace, said in a statement, “The drones will continue to serve the agricultural sector and help farmers reduce cost. With 5G connectivity introduced, this is one step towards creating a byproduct with huge disruption. The vision is to launch 25,000 such drones this year and 1,00,000 drones next year, and by 2024-2025, the goal is to deploy at least one drone in every village.”

The drones that are expected to be made under the collaboration using UAS software will be able to deliver better and high-speed connectivity in villages for a few hours a day or whenever deployed. This would enable high-speed internet use for transactions and education/training purposes by organisations like banks and schools and universities in the villages with access to electricity for a limited number of hours a day.