Garuda Opens Drone Battery Facility In Chennai

12 Jan 2026 CW Team

The inauguration took place during Bharat Drone Udaan, an industry event organised by the Bharat Drone Association at Garuda Aerospace’s operations centre. In a statement, the company said the new battery facility marks another step towards strengthening India’s indigenous drone manufacturing ecosystem, following its recent launch of a defence drone manufacturing unit.

According to Garuda Aerospace, the battery plant will enable end-to-end domestic production of critical components and reduce dependence on imports, a key priority as drone usage expands across civilian and defence applications.

During the visit, Kidwai also inaugurated a new academic block at the company’s DGCA-approved Remote Pilot Training Organisation. The expanded infrastructure is expected to increase training capacity and help meet rising demand for certified drone pilots across sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, defence, disaster management and logistics.

On the occasion, the DGCA chief released the Garuda Bharat Drone Udaan Impact Book, which documents innovative drone applications, case studies and the company’s growth journey in India’s drone sector. Addressing the gathering, Kidwai said Garuda Aerospace is among the few Indian companies manufacturing a wide range of drones for diverse uses. He added that its focus on indigenisation, including in-house production and assembly of key components, sets an important benchmark for the industry, while trained pilots will be critical as drone applications scale up.

Garuda Aerospace Founder and Director Agnishwar Jayaprakash said the company has evolved over the past decade from an agri-tech startup into India’s largest drone manufacturer. He noted that it has produced more than 3,000 drones and trained over 2,500 pilots, and was the first firm to receive DGCA approvals for both drone manufacturing and pilot training. Jayaprakash credited supportive government policies and regulatory guidance for accelerating growth in the sector.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai on Wednesday inaugurated a drone battery manufacturing facility set up by Garuda Aerospace in Chennai. The company is backed by former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni. The inauguration took place during Bharat Drone Udaan, an industry event organised by the Bharat Drone Association at Garuda Aerospace’s operations centre. In a statement, the company said the new battery facility marks another step towards strengthening India’s indigenous drone manufacturing ecosystem, following its recent launch of a defence drone manufacturing unit. According to Garuda Aerospace, the battery plant will enable end-to-end domestic production of critical components and reduce dependence on imports, a key priority as drone usage expands across civilian and defence applications. During the visit, Kidwai also inaugurated a new academic block at the company’s DGCA-approved Remote Pilot Training Organisation. The expanded infrastructure is expected to increase training capacity and help meet rising demand for certified drone pilots across sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, defence, disaster management and logistics. On the occasion, the DGCA chief released the Garuda Bharat Drone Udaan Impact Book, which documents innovative drone applications, case studies and the company’s growth journey in India’s drone sector. Addressing the gathering, Kidwai said Garuda Aerospace is among the few Indian companies manufacturing a wide range of drones for diverse uses. He added that its focus on indigenisation, including in-house production and assembly of key components, sets an important benchmark for the industry, while trained pilots will be critical as drone applications scale up. Garuda Aerospace Founder and Director Agnishwar Jayaprakash said the company has evolved over the past decade from an agri-tech startup into India’s largest drone manufacturer. He noted that it has produced more than 3,000 drones and trained over 2,500 pilots, and was the first firm to receive DGCA approvals for both drone manufacturing and pilot training. Jayaprakash credited supportive government policies and regulatory guidance for accelerating growth in the sector.

Infrastructure Urban

04 May 2026

Jyoti Structures FY26 profit rises 56.5%

Jyoti Structures (JSL) recently reported strong financial results for the quarter and year ended 31 March 2026, driven by disciplined execution, cost management and steady progress across its order book.For Q4 FY2025-26, total income rose 44.2 per cent to Rs 2.41 billion from Rs 1.67 billion in Q4 FY2024-25. EBITDA increased 58.6 per cent to Rs 237 million, while EBITDA margin improved by 89 basis points to 9.84 per cent. Profit before tax grew 53.3 per cent to Rs 188.5 million, and net profit rose 51.9 per cent to Rs 181.4 million.For FY2025-26, total income grew 53.1 per cent to Rs 7.72 bill..

Infrastructure Energy

04 May 2026

Cat BEPU to Power Doppstadt Separator at IFAT 2026

Caterpillar’s Cat Battery Electric Power Unit (BEPU) has been selected by Doppstadt to power its SWS 6 Spiral Shaft Separator, which will be showcased for the first time at IFAT 2026 in Munich, Germany, from 4–7 May.The compact plug-and-play BEPU is designed to replace a diesel engine within the same space, using the same mounting locations and relative machine position. It integrates the battery, motor, inverter, onboard charging, cooling and controls, enabling OEMs to electrify existing chassis platforms without extensive redesign.Caterpillar and Cat dealer Zeppelin Power Systems have be..

Infrastructure Urban

04 May 2026

VECV sales rise 6.9% in April 2026

VE Commercial Vehicles, a joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors, recorded sales of 7,318 units in April 2026, compared to 6,846 units in April 2025, registering 6.9 per cent growth. The total included 7,159 units under the Eicher brand and 159 units under the Volvo brand.Eicher branded trucks and buses reported sales of 7,159 units during the month, up 6.6 per cent from 6,717 units in April 2025. In the domestic commercial vehicle market, Eicher sales rose 8.6 per cent to 6,797 units from 6,257 units a year earlier.Exports declined 21.3 per cent, with VECV recording 362 units in ..