By A Correspondent

New Delhi: India’s Zuppa Geo Navigation Technologies has partnered with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, to establish a Drone Centre of Excellence (CoE) aimed at accelerating indigenous development of next-generation unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies.

The CoE, set up at IISc’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening India’s self-reliance in advanced drone systems across strategic and civilian sectors.

The newly launched facility will serve as a dedicated hub for cutting-edge research, design, and testing of UAV platforms, focusing on autonomous systems, aerial robotics, and cyber-physical integration.

By bringing together Zuppa’s indigenous navigation and cyber-physical technology stack with IISc’s globally recognised expertise in aerodynamics, robotics, controls, and systems engineering, the collaboration aims to fast-track innovation tailored to India’s operational needs.

According to Zuppa Geo Navigation Technologies founder and managing director Sai Pattabiram, the initiative marks a significant milestone in the company’s mission to lead indigenous innovation in UAV and navigation solutions.

He said the partnership bridges academic excellence with industry-led technological development to create world-class drone solutions that can set global benchmarks while meeting domestic requirements.

A senior faculty representative from IISc’s Department of Mechanical Engineering noted that the CoE would enable advanced UAV research by combining deep scientific inquiry with real-world industry applications.

The centre is expected to foster innovation in drone design, autonomy, performance optimisation, and system integration, according to a company statement on December 16, 2025.

The Drone CoE is aligned with India’s broader push under initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) and the national drone policy to build a robust domestic drone ecosystem.

Beyond defence applications, the research outcomes are expected to support agriculture, logistics, disaster management, and smart city operations, while also nurturing a new generation of skilled researchers and engineers to drive India’s UAV sector forward.

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