Garuda Aerospace inks deal with Airbus Helicopters for Flexrotor drones

Chennai-headquartered Garuda Aerospace, a drone technology and services company, has signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for the acquisition of up to 18 Flexrotor Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS).

The agreement marks a significant step in Garuda’s strategy to expand its global unmanned aerial systems leasing and services portfolio.

The Flexrotor systems will be integrated into Garuda’s global fleet and offered to customers through both dry lease and wet lease operational models. The platform will support a wide range of civil, industrial, and para public missions including infrastructure inspection, oil and gas pipeline monitoring, powerline inspection, railway and highway monitoring, disaster response, wildfire monitoring, law enforcement, and search and rescue operations.

“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,” said Agnishwar Jayaprakash, founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace.

He added: “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.”

“With over 1 million flight hours, 30% market dominance in the agri-drone segment, and a diversified presence across agriculture, defence and industrial sectors, the Flexrotor’s arrival further strengthens our ability to deliver high-endurance, mission-critical unmanned solutions for the most demanding operations worldwide,” Mr. Jayaprakash added.

The Flexrotor is a versatile light tactical UAS designed for long-endurance missions and advanced sensor integration. With a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 25 kg (55 lbs), the system can conduct missions lasting 12-14 hours in typical operational configurations, making it well suited for intelligence, surveillance, monitoring, and data collection missions across large operational areas.