New Delhi [India], April 28 : Leading drone manufacturer Garuda Aerospace has announced that it has successfully crossed the halfway mark for the Drone Yatra 2.0 in its bid to conduct India's largest farmer outreach programme. The Drone Yatra 2.0 is specifically designed to demonstrate the efficacy of drones for various agricultural uses and promote their benefits to farmers across the country.
Agnishwar Jayaprakash, founder and chief executive officer, Garuda Aerospace, said, "Garuda Kisan drones are the most affordable in the market priced at Rs 4.5 lakh each, we have already received booking orders for 6,000 drones indicating the monumental success of the Drone Yatra."
In a statement released on Thursday, Jayaprakash said, "A surge in demand is due to Garuda Kisan drones being priced nearly 50 per cent less than most other Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-approved drone manufacturers and Garuda Kisan drones are eligible for both loans at a 5-6 per cent interest rate under AIF (Alternative Investment Funds) and 50-70 per cent government subsidy under SMAM (Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechzation) scheme where farmers, rural entrepreneurs, custom hiring centres and FPOs are spending only 25-50 per cent for each drone from their pockets."
The Drone Yatra 2.0 has covered a total of 388 districts and 1,92,309 kilometres in various states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Punjab, West Bengal, and Bihar, etc.
Garuda Aerospace has already signed on 357 dealerships, and a total of 6,398 drones have been distributed through 292 purchase orders, according to the statement. Garuda Warriors conducted demo sessions on the ground during the Drone Yatra 2.0, helping farmers incorporate drone technology and educating them for a brighter future.
The Garuda Drone Yatra was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 19, 2022, and has received an overwhelming response from customers across India.
On December 6, 2022, Union Minister Anurag Thakur flagged off the Drone Yatra 2.0, the largest project ever marking another significant milestone for the project. The initiative aimed to educate and familiarise farmers with the benefits of drones across all districts in India.
"We're halfway through our Drone Yatra 2.0, and it's been an incredible experience meeting our farmers and enthusiastic youth. Our biggest goal with this initiative was to create maximum impact and gain the trust of farmers by conducting demo sessions on-ground by making them familiar with the technology. This is one of the biggest farmer contact programmes in the country..." concluded Agnishwar Jayaprakash, founder and chief executive officer, Garuda Aerospace.
"Recently, Garuda Aerospace became the first-ever made in India drone startup to receive the Dual DGCA certifications of both Type Certificate for manufacturing and RPTO (Remote Pilot Training Orgsation) for training drone pilots free of cost. Garuda Aerospace is well established in the market." said an industry expert.
Garuda Aerospace is the first company to receive a drone loan and subsidy, a remarkable achievement that is testimony to the company's vision and commitment to innovation, according to the company statement.
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