Odisha-based startup Bon V Aero has developed a fully autonomous logistics drone Air Orca. It is trying to change transportation in challenging environments.
Air Orca’s fully indigenous design built in line with the myriad demands of India was announced by the CEO of the firm, Satyabrata Sathapathy proudly, Saturday. Today’s launch of Air Orca marks an important advancement for the logistics sector in India and for us as an Odisha-based company,” Sathapathy said. The company also emphasizes that they have received tremendous support from one of the world’s most famous venture capitalists, Tim Draper. “Tim Draper’s endorsement strengthens the impact of this launch, and we are thankful for his involvement since we aspire to extend the advantages of Air Orca in both civilian and defense applications across the country,” he added.
Air Orca: The cutting-edge logistics solution
The fully designed, developed, and manufactured in India Air Orca is a product envisaged to solve some of the toughest logistics problems in the country. Its advanced autonomous capability enables the drone to fly over areas that are impossible or rather uneconomic to cover with traditional modes of transport. The drone’s unique configuration has proven itself especially suited for use as a first responder in post-disaster situations, delivering critical relief supplies to otherwise inaccessible locations by road or by air.
“We are excited that Air Orca is being launched here in Odisha,” said Tim Draper, one of the biggest supporters of the project. The practical response by modern logistics to improve the reach, flexibility, and reliability of the Air Orca autonomous drone represents its use cases-from disaster response to high altitude usages for the armed forces. These recent hurricanes in the US have only been fresh in my mind, and I am expecting that this innovation from BonV Aero can be an effective tool for disaster response in India and elsewhere around the world.
Benchmarks with Best-In-Class Capabilities
Besides these applications, Bon V Aero’s Air Orca has already marked its presence in the drone industry. The startup recently set a world record by lifting a 30 kg payload at Umling La, Ladakh, which at 19,024 feet is the highest motorable road pass in the world. This feat surpassed the capabilities of helicopters, as they face much more challenging situations in transporting similar cargo at such heights. Elaborating on this achievement, Sathapathy commented proudly: “BonV Aero is the first Indian company to set a world record by lifting a 30-kg payload at Umling La, Ladakh, the highest motorable road pass at 19,024 feet.”
Expanding the Air Orca Reach into Industries
In addition to disaster response, Air Orca is designed to fulfill many other requirements of logistics. It plans to serve sectors like health care, e-commerce, military logistics, and disaster management within India as well as globally. With diversified applications and reaching areas not accessible before, it will change the futures of logistics and emergency response operations all around the world.
