(L-R) BonV Aero co-founders Abinash Sahoo, Satyabrata Satapathy, Umang Rathi, Sultan Khan, Gaurav Achha, and Rahul Kumar
The Indian Army heavily relies on the age-old practices of using porters and mules to move essentials in challenging Himalayas terrains. While there are nearly 15,000 porters employed for the purpose, they can carry out only up to three trips per day. Winter is often more challenging for the movement of essentials, forcing troops to eat frozen food.
“Imagine the soldiers who protect us and our nation day and night not getting fresh food. Isn’t it a misery?” asks Satyabrata Satapathy.
It occurred to Satapath, an avionics engineer, that aerial mobility could help address this burning problem. He discussed this opportunity with his friends in aerospace and joined hands to develop heavy-lift electric aerial vehicles or logistics drones.
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And that was how BonV Aero was born.
BonV Aero, based in Orissa (a state in northeast India), was founded by Satapathy (CEO), Gaurav Achha (Co-CEO), Abinash Sahoo (CTO), Rahul Kumar (Chief of Design), Sultan Khan (Chief of Manufacturing) and Umang Rathi (Chief of Operations), who collectively bring diverse expertise from renowned companies like Asteria Aerospace, Bosch Automotive, and ISRO.
The startup aims to revolutionise aerial mobility through cutting-edge electric vehicles for goods and passenger transportation. It has developed heavy-lift aerial vehicles for quick logistics movement in hilly, challenging Himalayan terrains.
The aerial vehicle is capable of carrying 50 kilos over ten kilometres at 10,000 feet in hilly regions. Thanks to its self-flying technology, this innovative vehicle operates autonomously without constant pilot intervention. Its in-house propulsion system ensures efficient flights in extreme weather and high altitudes.
“Our self-flying technology is an advanced system integrated into its aerial vehicles, enabling autonomous and intelligent flight operations. This technology leverages innovative flight software, terrain-following capabilities, adaptive payload management, and auto-path generation to achieve a high degree of autonomy in the operation of the drones,” he explained.
BonV has already garnered interest from the defence sector, disaster relief organisations, emergency medical services, logistics, and quick commerce deliveries, claims Satapathy. These vehicles cater to specific needs by efficiently transporting goods and supplies in challenging terrains, enhancing disaster response, facilitating emergency medical transport, streamlining logistics operations, and providing a unique solution for rapid deliveries in the quick commerce sector.
So far, the startup has secured orders worth INR 15 crore (US$1.8 million) from India Defence, Satapathy revealed. “The heavy-lift electric aerial vehicles developed by BonV are tailored for challenging terrains, especially in the Eastern Himalayan region. Military collaboration is pivotal in shaping the company’s future as it allows for real-world product trials and validation, further supporting logistical arrangements for such trials at remote places and ensuring that the technology meets the stringent requirements of defense logistics. This collaboration will help in the quick development and validation of the technology and also open avenues for defence contracts, strengthening BonV Aero’s position in the defence and aerospace sectors.”
The firm, which is conducting product trials with the Indian Arm, sees its technology contributing significantly to defence logistics by providing efficient and rapid aerial mobility solutions.
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BonV Aero was one of the top 3 finalists on “Meet the Drapers” TV show. According to Satapathy, this feat has significantly impacted its growth and visibility.
Last month, the startup secured US$700,000 in a funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The capital will be primarily directed towards client demonstrations, team expansion and internal R&D focused on enhancing products for customers, researching propulsion systems and advancing power plants.
BonV Aero aims to achieve several key milestones in the near future, including the successful completion of product trials with the Indian Army, delivery of the ordered logistic aerial vehicles, and expanding its presence in the defence sector. “To scale operations beyond the initial trials, we plan to focus on securing additional contracts, scaling up production capacity, and exploring opportunities in other sectors such as disaster relief, emergency response, and commercial logistics. Strategic partnerships, continuous innovation, and efficient execution will play crucial roles in achieving these milestones,” he added.
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