What if drones could fly without GPS or navigate like humans, even in jammed environments? How close are we to seeing AI-powered aerial systems that do not rely on bulky control teams? In this exclusive conversation, Besta Prem Sai from VECROS explains how their drones are transforming the game to EFY’s Nitisha Dubey.
Q. What are some of the key products developed by VECROS?
A. We have introduced two flagship drones: Athera and Jasper. Athera is India’s first AI-powered drone capable of operating without a global positioning system (GPS). We believe this marks a major leap from traditional drone systems. Equipped with around 10 onboard cameras, Athera builds a comprehensive visual understanding of its surroundings. It processes data directly on its onboard GPU, ensuring secure, real-time analysis without relying on external servers. The drone offers a flight time of approximately 30 minutes and features dual-swappable batteries, reducing relaunch time to just five minutes, which is significantly faster than the industry standard of 10–15 minutes.
Jasper, our second offering, is a compact drone engineered for operations in confined or GPS-denied environments. Built on the same foundational technology as Athera, Jasper is optimised for indoor and close-quarters use where agility and precision are essential. Currently, Jasper is available exclusively to enterprise clients.
Q. Who are your primary target customers?
A.We are currently targeting three main sectors: warehouses, construction, and defence. These industries face pressing challenges that can be effectively addressed through the use of autonomous drones. Our drones are designed to operate in GPS- and radio-denied environments, which is especially crucial in defence. In construction and warehouse management, our drones can offer detailed mapping, monitoring, and surveillance capabilities.
Q. What solutions has VECROS developed to overcome challenges like GPS jamming and inefficient drone operation models?
A. May I say a little about the challenges first? Most drones are heavily dependent on GPS for navigation, and around 5 million drones globally fall into this category. If a GPS jammer is used, any drone in the area will likely crash. This vulnerability is being actively exploited in electronic warfare, especially near borders. This is an extremely challenging problem, even for advanced research institutions; however, we have managed to develop a solution that enables our drones to navigate by ‘seeing’ the world around them.
Another issue is the one-pilot, one-drone model. In conventional setups, each drone needs a dedicated pilot. This is inefficient and limits scalability. If the pilot is inexperienced, the drone’s effectiveness diminishes. We are addressing this by designing systems that enable a single pilot or software interface to manage hundreds or even thousands of drones, thereby significantly reducing the need for human intervention.
Q. How do VECROS drones navigate in environments where GPS signals are unavailable or jammed?
A. Our drones can operate without GPS, as I highlighted. Unlike traditional drones that collapse in GPS-denied environments, ours use a combination of visual sensors and AI algorithms to navigate. By analysing the visual landmarks around them, the drones can determine their position, much like how humans recognise places. This GPS-independent navigation is one of our core technological breakthroughs and a critical differentiator.
Q. What distinguishes VECROS drones from other products on the market?
A. Our biggest differentiator lies in our software and electronics, not the mechanical design. We are the only Indian company with a GPU onboard the drone, enabling real-time AI computation directly on the drone. While many companies focus on improving payload, battery life, or frame design, we are addressing the more fundamental issues of GPS-denied navigation and autonomous operation.
Q. Do you have any patents or intellectual property?
A. We are an IP-driven company. We have filed 15–20 patents so far and have been granted around 10, including design and method patents. These cover our drones Athera and Jasper, among other technologies. We also hold trademarks and encourage our employees to file patents, which helps build India’s intellectual property ecosystem.
Q. Is any training required to operate your drones?
A. Very minimal training is needed. The interface is intuitive, almost like playing a video game. We provide simulators and training modules for our customers to practise flying drones in real-world conditions before operating them in the field.
Q. What specific use cases do you target in defence?
A. In defence, our primary focus is on ISR missions; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. These missions require highly autonomous drones capable of operating in GPS- and radio-denied zones. Our drones fit that requirement perfectly.
Q. Are there certifications required to sell or operate your drones?
A. Yes, for commercial and government use, we require certification and other defence-specific approvals. These certifications are the responsibility of the manufacturer, and we are currently in the process of obtaining them.
Q. How does onboard AI affect flight time and energy consumption?
A. With all systems operating, our drones achieve about 30 minutes of flight time. Without the processing load, the flight time can be extended by up to 40 minutes. So, around 10 minutes is the tradeoff for having powerful AI onboard, which is well worth the added functionality.
Q. How do the drones perform in challenging weather conditions?
A. In low-light conditions, we use infrared (IR) cameras. For foggy or unstable environments, we rely on other onboard sensors, such as the inertial measurement unit (IMU), to stabilise and guide the drone. Our systems are designed to be robust across various conditions, and we continually improve them.
Q. What is the total cost of ownership over three to five years compared to traditional systems?
A. Over a three-to-five-year period, the total cost of ownership of VECROS drones is approximately five times lower than that of traditional drone systems, especially when you factor in savings from reduced manpower, quicker deployment, and minimal maintenance.
Q. Do you offer leasing or subscription models?
A. Yes, we offer flexible pricing models based on use case and volume. This includes subscription, leasing, or pay-per-use models. For example, in agricultural or construction scenarios, we might price based on the area scanned per acre (approximately 0.4 hectares) or by the month.
Q. Do you manufacture everything in-house?
A. We manufacture our own drones, develop the software, and design the electronics in-house as much as possible. For instance, we have developed a custom motherboard called JetCore, which handles power and communications management. This level of control allows us to fine-tune our technology and compete with international players, not just domestic ones.
Q. Where do you source your components from?
A. While the raw components, such as integrated circuits (ICs) and resistors, often come from the US, Australia, Japan, or Taiwan, the printed circuit boards (PCBs) and final assemblies are primarily done in India. We prefer local manufacturing partners so we can work closely with them and rapidly iterate on custom problems. This also supports the Indian manufacturing ecosystem.
Q. Where is your manufacturing facility, and what equipment do you use?
A. Our manufacturing and research and development (R&D) operations are based in Bengaluru, with an additional office located in Delhi. We currently produce around 10 drones per month with a team of 20 people. The facility is equipped with electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic compatibility (EMI/EMC) testing machines, multiple thrust stands for testing motors and batteries, oscilloscopes, soldering stations, and complete PCB bring-up tools. Everything from bare board to final testing is done in-house.
Q. How do you justify the higher cost of your drones?
A. While our drones are priced higher, the value they deliver is significantly greater. For instance, our Athera drone package costs around ₹2 million (₹20 lakhs) and includes three battery pairs, a rugged box, a ground control station, and training modules. Compared to traditional drones, our systems eliminate the need for a large team of skilled pilots and reduce operational costs over time. Think of it like defence forces opting for custom-built military trucks over commercial ones; they serve a different, more demanding purpose.
Q. Are you generating revenue currently?
A. We are currently pre-revenue from a product sales standpoint, as our focus is on perfecting our technology. However, we do earn between ₹400,000 and ₹ 500,000 per month from service-based operations, such as 3D mapping and elevation modelling for construction and architecture firms.
Q. How often do your drones require maintenance?
A. Our drones do not require frequent maintenance. Typically, every 1000 flights may trigger a recalibration or maintenance cycle. The system itself is intelligent enough to alert users when it senses something might need attention.
Q. What challenges have you faced as a startup?
A. Funding has been the biggest challenge. Many Indian investors focus heavily on short-term revenue rather than long-term deep-tech potential. When we began, our vision seemed too niche. But recent developments in electronic warfare have proven our direction to be vital. Still, the lack of capital affected our hiring and product scaling.
Q. Are you looking for partners or vendors to help grow your business?
A. We are open to partnerships, especially with industry stakeholders who understand the potential of autonomous drones. We also participate in many forums and communities to share our work and connect with potential collaborators. However, we have not yet actively engaged any agency for promotion.
Q. What are your future plans?
A. Our focus remains on developing drones that, as I said earlier, can operate in GPS- and radio-denied environments, which are critical for defence operations. We aim to establish a testing facility specifically designed for electronic warfare scenarios. The next step is to raise additional funds, expand our team, and deliver this technology at scale.
