Airbound, a pathbreaking Indian drone startup has recently raised $8.65 million in its series A funding round. This remarkable accomplishment pushes its total funding received past the $10 million mark since it was founded in 2020. Founded by Naman Pushp, the company is developing a new generation of drones tailored for ultra-low-cost deliveries. Airbound means it assembled a team of 50 passionate professionals. They hope to change the game for last-mile logistics in the quick commerce and food delivery industries.
The startup’s flagship drone, called the TRT, was designed from the ground up around small payloads. This is an example drone that operates without a human in the cockpit. This allows it to reduce total transportation weight by at least 30 times compared to standard delivery processes. By targeting delivery costs as low as 10 paise (around $0.001), Airbound envisions revolutionizing the way goods are delivered in urban environments.
Airbound’s original design for the TRT drone is small enough—it weighs just 3.3 pounds—to accommodate a payload of up to 2.2 pounds. The company is already working on a second iteration. This new model is projected to carry 6.6-pound payloads, all while weighing just 2.6 pounds. The very lightweight design is what makes Airbound’s drones special. With their unique blended-wing-body design and two propellers, they’re a more efficient and environmentally friendly delivery system than what’s currently in use.
“When you get into the world of autonomy, logistics is just a physics problem. It’s a game of efficiency and weight. And so if you have a lower weight than anyone else and a higher efficiency than others, you win,” – Naman Pushp
Airbound’s business model and technology are designed to get their delivery costs 20x lower than traditional delivery. Each drone also has a manufacturing cost of about $2,000 and delivery cost of ₹24 (about $0.27). The firm intends to ramp up its production capacity by more than a factor of 10. They plan to manufacture at least 100 drones a day and achieve a staggering one million deliveries per day within mid-2027.
Airbound is launching its first pilot program, powered by its dreamers and doers vision. Our Better Together initiative works alongside Narayana Health in Bengaluru to provide lifesaving medical logistics. As our world continues to embrace on-demand delivery, particularly in the healthcare space, this pilot program is a recognition of that need for fast, reliable solutions.
While there is a lot of potential in drone technology, Pushp highlighted that operational costs must be addressed. He noted that “the biggest cost of operating these drones ends up being their battery replacement costs.” As illuminating as this insight may be, it points to a major obstacle that the industry needs to tackle to achieve lasting sustainability and profitability.
Additionally, Pushp recognized the immense opportunity that exists in the field of drone deliveries. He stated, “There is actually an incredible amount of gaps between where drones are today and where they can be.” This point of view emphasizes Airbound’s dedication to leading the way toward innovation in logistics while enriching the industry.
Airbound, meanwhile, is continuing to refine its technology and grow its market focus. To maintain that margin, the company has committed to drive down delivery costs to under ₹5 (just over $0.05) by the end of 2026. How much the company’s efforts can affect the Indian market remains to be seen. They would set a new global precedent for drone delivery services.
