Garuda Aerospace, a leading global drone technology and services company, has signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for the acquisition of up to 18 Flexrotor Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS). The agreement marks a significant step in Garuda’s strategy to expand its global unmanned aerial systems leasing and services portfolio, enabling the company to deliver high endurance aerial intelligence and monitoring solutions across international markets.
The Flexrotor systems will be integrated into Garuda’s global fleet and offered to customers through both dry lease and wet lease operational models. The platform will support a wide range of civil, industrial and parapublic missions including infrastructure inspection, oil and gas pipeline monitoring, powerline inspection, railway and highway monitoring, disaster response, wildfire monitoring, law enforcement, and search and rescue operations.
“Our partnership with Airbus Helicopters to integrate the Flexrotor into our global leasing portfolio marks a significant milestone in our international expansion and investment strategy,” said Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder & CEO of Garuda Aerospace. “Having manufactured and sold over 5,000 drones and served more than 500 enterprise and government clients globally, we are now scaling our range of services and strengthening our global product portfolio. With over 1 million flight hours, 30% market dominance in the agri-drone segment, and a diversified presence across agriculture, defence and industrial sectors, the Flexrotor’s arrival further strengthens our ability to deliver high-endurance, mission-critical unmanned solutions for the most demanding operations worldwide.”
“We are very proud to partner with Garuda as they have selected the Flexrotor to support the development of their global UAS portfolio,” said Olivier Michalon, Executive Vice President, Global Business for Airbus Helicopters. The Flexrotor is a versatile light tactical UAS designed for long-endurance missions and advanced sensor integration. With a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 25 kg (55 lbs), the system can conduct missions lasting 12–14 hours in typical operational configurations, making it well suited for intelligence, surveillance, monitoring, and data collection missions across large operational areas.
One of the key advantages of the Flexrotor platform is its expeditionary capability and minimal operational footprint. The system can autonomously launch and recover from confined land areas or maritime platforms without flight decks, requiring only a 3.7 by 3.7 metre launch and recovery area. Its compact and modular design also enables rapid deployment, allowing the system to transition from transport configuration to airborne operations in less than 30 minutes.
Through this partnership with Airbus Helicopters, Garuda Aerospace further strengthens its global unmanned aviation ecosystem, expanding its ability to provide high-endurance aerial intelligence and mission support solutions for industries such as energy, infrastructure, agriculture, defence, and public safety.
Garuda Aerospace has rapidly emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing drone technology companies, with over 5,000 drones manufactured and deployed globally, more than one million cumulative flight hours, and over 500 enterprise and government clients across multiple sectors. The company currently holds approximately 30% market share in India’s agricultural drone segment and continues to expand its footprint across defence, industrial inspection, and international drone services markets.
The integration of the Flexrotor platform into Garuda’s fleet represents another major milestone in the company’s vision to build a globally scalable unmanned aerial services ecosystem capable of supporting complex, mission-critical operations worldwide.
