EndureAir Systems, a drone tech startup incubated at IIT Kanpur, has been awarded ₹30 crore in funding through India’s RDIF scheme to accelerate development of its SABAL-200 heavy-payload VTOL drone, aiming to boost commercial deployment for logistics and defense applications.
- EndureAir’s SABAL-200 drone supports 200 kg payloads, 2.5-hour flight, 200 km range
- ₹30 Cr grant from Indian government’s RDIF scheme for R&D and scaling manufacturing
- Project supports Atmanirbhar Bharat mission and import substitution in drone tech
What happened
EndureAir Systems, founded by IIT Kanpur aerospace professor Abhishek and colleagues, secured ₹30 crore (approximately $3.1 million) in grant funding under India’s Research, Development, and Innovation Fund (RDIF) scheme. The funding is intended to advance the SABAL-200 drone platform, a vertical take-off and landing UAV capable of carrying heavy payloads.
This government-backed initiative is part of a broader ₹1 Lakh crore RDI programme launched by the Department of Science & Technology to support startups developing cutting-edge technologies across sectors including deeptech, robotics, and space. EndureAir’s funding is aimed at facilitating commercial deployment, expanding manufacturing, and enhancing infrastructure to support drone operations in India.
Why it matters
EndureAir’s SABAL-200 platform addresses key challenges by offering a heavy-payload drone solution with operating capabilities tailored to India’s diverse and difficult environments. With a 200 kg payload capacity, a 2.5-hour endurance, and 200 km operational range, the drone meets critical needs in defense, surveillance, disaster management, and especially logistics in remote regions.
Backing from the RDIF and alignment with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative emphasizes India’s aim to reduce reliance on foreign imports and foster indigenous manufacturing. The investment is expected to generate employment opportunities in Tier II and Tier III cities through scaling drone production, contributing to regional economic growth and technological sovereignty.
What to watch next
Market observers will closely monitor EndureAir’s progress in translating grants into tangible technological and commercial milestones. Key indicators will include successful field trials, production scale-up, and adoption of the SABAL-200 by defense and civilian sectors, particularly for aerial logistics in hard-to-access areas.
Additionally, the broader impact of the government’s RDIF scheme on India’s drone ecosystem and emerging startups will be a focus. Other startups from the first funding cohort, such as Dhruva Space’s large satellite platform project, exemplify the government’s push to build deeptech capabilities capable of competing globally.