In two years from now, the first made-in-India ‘heavy lift’ drones could begin redefining e-commerce operations in the country. These will be able to transport 150 kilograms of cargo to a distance of 150 km. In doing so, a package, which presently takes up to 72 hours to deliver, will be delivered between 8 and 12 hours.
The drone, called the HL-150, is being designed by NewSpace Research & Technologies, a Bangalore-based start-up that has partnered with SpiceJet, the only scheduled airline in the country to experiment with drone delivery services.
“The design is entirely in-house and has been made possible by the design-depth which we now have,” Sameer Joshi, the CEO of NewsSpace, said.
The company, working closely with government-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), designs Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for the Indian Air Force and swarm drones meant for the Army. Swarm drones consist of dozens of UAVs that work together to carry out various military missions. “It is these technologies that NewSpace aims to leverage in its heavy-lift drones for commercial applications,” he said.
