The successful launch of its defence drone facility, Garuda Aerospace inaugurated its new Drone Battery Manufacturing Facility in Chennai on January 7, 2026, in the presence of Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Director General, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The development reinforces the company’s commitment to strengthening India’s indigenous and self-reliant drone ecosystem. Kidwai also highlighted the growing collaboration between India’s civil aviation regulator and the country’s rapidly evolving drone industry.

The event was held at Garuda Aerospace Ltd’s Operations Centre in association with the Bharat Drone Udaan initiative of the Bharat Drone Association.

As part of the ceremony, Kidwai inaugurated the new Academic Block at Garuda Aerospace’s DGCA-approved Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO). The expanded academic infrastructure is designed to increase training capacity, strengthen curriculum delivery and address rising demand for certified drone pilots across sectors including agriculture, infrastructure, defence, disaster management and logistics.

During the event, Kidwai also unveiled the Garuda Bharat Drone Udaan Impact Book, which documents Garuda Aerospace’s journey, milestones and contributions to the evolution of Make in India drone technology. The publication highlights the impact of drone adoption across rural and industrial India and reflects the company’s focus on responsible deployment, ecosystem development and inclusive growth.

Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and Director, Garuda Aerospace, said, “Over the last 10 years, Garuda Aerospace has evolved from an agri-tech company into India’s largest drone manufacturer, having produced over 3,000 drones and trained more than 2,500 drone pilots. We were the first company approved by the DGCA for both drone manufacturing and training, and the first whose clients received the country’s first AIF drone loan. Our journey reflects the impact of progressive government initiatives such as support for women’s self-help groups using agricultural drones, the SMAM drone subsidy scheme and the Production Linked Incentive for indigenous manufacturing. This progress would not have been possible without the regulatory guidance and support of the DGCA, the Ministry and ecosystem stakeholders. We remain committed to local manufacturing, regulatory compliance and building India into a global drone hub.”

Addressing the gathering, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Director General, DGCA, said, “It is a pleasure to visit Garuda Aerospace’s manufacturing facility. The wide range of drones produced here supports the armed forces, farmers and industrial applications. Few companies manufacture such a diverse portfolio of drones. Garuda Aerospace is advancing indigenisation by producing critical components and undertaking assembly and manufacturing within India. Certified RPTO graduates will play a key role in the sector’s growth as drone applications expand significantly.”

The inauguration of the drone battery manufacturing facility, along with the new academic block, marks a significant milestone in Garuda Aerospace’s efforts to establish an end-to-end, self-reliant drone ecosystem encompassing manufacturing, training and deployment to support India’s growing drone economy.