"WE HOLD 66 PATENTS GLOBALLY, 32 HAVE ALREADY BEEN GRANTED"

RAHUL SINGH, Co-founder and VP Engineering, ideaForge, one of the leading manufacturers of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, talks about the growing importance of drones across sectors, its benefits, future challenges and much more in a conversation with ASHISH SINHA of BW Businessworld. Excerpts:

- ASHISH SINHA

How has the drone industry evolved over the past few years, and what role has ideaForge played in this evolution?

The drone industry has undergone significant evolution in recent years, witnessing widespread adoption across diverse sectors such as surveillance, agriculture, healthcare, and e-commerce. In this dynamic landscape, we have emerged as a key player, contributing to the industry’s growth and innovation in India along with having the largest operational deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) across the country.

As a vertically integrated company, ideaForge has built a reputation as a trusted partner for various government and private entities, including the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Railways, and more. Our UAVs are renowned for their industry-leading specifications and capabilities, placing us among the forefront of design and technology in the UAV market. Additionally, we have been selected as one of the pioneering companies for survey-grade mapping initiatives such as the Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology Village Areas (SVAMITVA) by Survey of India (SOI).

What are some of the significant challenges faced by the drone tech industry in India, and how is ideaForge addressing these challenges?