EndureAir Partners with Defence PSUs to Strengthen India's Drone Testing Capabilities

In a move to bolster India's defence capabilities and reduce reliance on imports, EndureAir, a leading unmanned aviation technology company, has joined forces with five Defence Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS).

The collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Defence, aims to establish state-of-the-art testing facilities within the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC). One of these facilities, dedicated to Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), will be located at Technopark IIT Kanpur. This marks a significant step towards advancing indigenous defence technologies, particularly in the rapidly evolving drone sector.

EndureAir, as the sole private firm involved alongside the five Defence PSUs (HAL, BEL, GIL, YIL, and BEM), IIT Kanpur, and UP Defence Corridor, is set to play a pivotal role in this endeavor.

"We are honored to be a part of this landmark initiative," commented Prof. Abhishek, Co-founder of EndureAir. "The establishment of the UAS testing facility at IIT Kanpur would ensure easy accessibility to all end users, and at EndureAir, we hope to leverage this infrastructure to build world-class high-performance UAS solutions. We look forward to contributing to the growth of the defence sector and supporting the vision of a self-reliant India.”

The new facilities are expected to address several key challenges faced by the drone industry in India, including:

• Enhanced testing capabilities: The facilities will provide advanced infrastructure for rigorous testing of unmanned aerial systems, ensuring they meet the highest standards of performance and reliability.
• Faster path to certification: The facilities will enable sub-system level testing, streamlining the certification process for UAS and subsystems to meet international standards.
• Integration with defence industrial corridors: Emerging UAS companies looking to establish manufacturing plants in Uttar Pradesh will benefit from the readily available testing and certification infrastructure.

This MoU represents a crucial step towards enhancing self-reliance and reducing dependency on imports within the defence sector. The initiative fosters collaboration between private industry and the government, aiming to boost indigenous defence production and support the aerospace and defence sectors within the Defence Industrial Corridors.

For EndureAir and the broader drone industry, this development marks a crucial opportunity to leverage advanced testing infrastructure to drive innovation and enhance the global competitiveness of Indian-made UAVs. The facility will serve as a benchmark for future advancements, facilitating the testing and deployment of sophisticated unmanned systems that meet both national and international standards.