At Asia’s largest airshow, Aero India 2025, which is taking place from February 10–14, Tata Elxsi and Garuda Aerospace sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This collaboration aims to create a specialized UAV design, engineering, and certification center to create domestic drone technologies for use in smart cities, agricultural, and Indian defense applications.
At Aero India 2025, Tata Elxsi and Garuda Aerospace is displaying their operating UAV designs, and prototypes. Furthermore, a showcase of indigenous UAV components demonstrates India’s progress in autonomous UAV technology.
Using its knowledge of avionics, miniaturization, ground control systems, secure communication, and energy optimization, Tata Elxsi will take the lead in the design, development, testing, and certification of UAV subsystems.
Its demonstrated avionics certification skills, such as adherence to DO-254 and DO-178C standards, will guarantee safety and regulatory compliance.
The integration of Tata Elxsi’s advanced propulsion and battery management systems, AI-driven solutions, and proprietary autonomous and digital twin technologies will improve UAV efficiency, cut energy consumption by 20%, save costs by more than 20%, and shorten development cycles by up to six months.
Garuda Aerospace will take the lead in business acquisition and delivery as an OEM with a significant presence in the defense and other industries. The drones created under this program will serve a variety of purposes, including precision farming, payload management, commodities delivery, and ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) missions, meeting vital operational requirements in a variety of sectors.
With access to state-of-the-art UAV capabilities, the Indian defense forces and Border Security Force are anticipated to be the main beneficiaries of this partnership. Furthermore, this program will support workforce development in the aerospace industry and generate new job possibilities.
Leadership Comments
Jayaraj Rajapandian, Head of Aerospace, Rail & Off-highway, Tata Elxsi, stated, “Our partnership with Garuda Aerospace marks a major milestone in India’s aerospace ambitions. By driving AI-powered UAV advancements, we are strengthening India’s defence ecosystem and reinforcing the country’s self-reliance in aerospace technologies.”
Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder & CEO of Garuda Aerospace, said, “This strategic collaboration with Tata Elxsi reinforces our commitment to indigenous innovation. Over the next three to five years, we will focus on fully indigenised production and supply of airborne and ground systems, strengthening India’s leadership in UAV technology.”
