Garuda Aerospace, Airbus Helicopters partner for advanced global drone solutions

Drone-tech firm Garuda Aerospace and Airbus Helicopters have signed a contract for Garuda to acquire up to 18 Flexrotor Uncrewed Aerial Systems, commonly known as UAS or high-tech drones.

This agreement is intended to help Garuda expand its reach into international markets by offering advanced monitoring and intelligence solutions.

The drone industry is witnessing a shift as major players move from simple manufacturing towards providing complex, long-distance aerial services and this partnership is an example of this evolution.

According to Garuda, it has manufactured over 5,000 drones and secured a 30% share of the agricultural drone sector in India. By adding the Flexrotor to its fleet, the company is shifting its focus towards a global leasing model. This includes both dry leases, where the customer only rents the equipment, and wet leases, where Garuda provides the drone along with the necessary crew and maintenance support.

“Our partnership with Airbus Helicopters to integrate the Flexrotor into our global leasing portfolio marks a significant milestone in our international expansion and investment strategy. Having manufactured and sold over 5,000 drones and served more than 500 enterprise and government clients globally, we are now scaling our range of services and strengthening our global product portfolio,” said Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace.

The Flexrotor itself is a light tactical drone designed for missions that require staying in the air for long periods, often referred to as high-endurance operations. It weighs approximately 25 kilograms and can fly for 12 to 14 hours at a time. Because it is designed for ISTAR missions, which stands for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance, it can carry various advanced sensors to gather data over vast areas.

This system features expeditionary agility, meaning it can be moved and set up quickly in remote locations. It only requires a small launch area of 3.7 by 3.7 metres and can take off or land autonomously on both land and ships without a traditional flight deck. The system can transition from being packed away to flying in less than 30 minutes.

“The Flexrotor offers the best trade off in terms of payload capability, endurance and expeditionary agility thanks to its small footprint. We see a strong interest in Flexrotor from the market both for military and civil operations,” Olivier Michalon, Executive Vice President of Global Business for Airbus Helicopters, noted.

This partnership is particularly relevant for Garuda’s expansion into North America, managed through its Delaware-based subsidiary, Garuda Technologies Inc.

The Flexrotor will be used across various sectors, including the monitoring of oil and gas pipelines, railway inspections, and disaster response efforts like wildfire monitoring.