India’s high-altitude logistics drone push drives demand as BonV Aero positions Air Orca
BonV Aero’s Air Orca can operate in challenging terrains and extreme altitudes. (Photo: BonV Aero)
Driven by harsh conditions along Eastern Ladakh and the Western border, the Indian Army is pursuing large-scale induction of logistics uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to fill its last-mile delivery gap. Major high-altitude posts lack reliable road access and face extreme weather, making supplies by mules, porters or helicopters risky – and costly.
In a significant boost to battlefield logistics, Indian company BonV Aero’s defence cargo drone platform, Air Orca, is addressing the Indian Army’s Request for Information (RfI) focused on autonomous payload delivery in extreme terrains.
The RfI defines two variants of logistics drones for the Indian Army’s 570‑unit procurement programme –
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