IIT Madras incubated UAV startup Amber Wings has unveiled a new agricultural drone called ‘Vihaa’ that promises to revolutionize farming in South India. The drone, which was recently certified by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), aims to make crop management faster and more efficient for farmers and agribusinesses.
Faster and More Efficient Crop Spraying
The Vihaa drone has the ability to spray crops with fertilizers, pesticides and other treatments up to 7 times faster than manual spraying methods. This will allow farmers to save significant amounts of time and resources.
“Introducing ‘Vihaa’ marks a pivotal moment in our journey to enhance agricultural practices in India. Our mission has always been to provide innovative solutions that empower farmers and drive industry growth,” said IIT Madras Prof Satya Chakravarthy, Founder, Chief, and Technical Lead at Amber Wings’ parent company Ubifly Technologies.
Making Advanced Farming Technology Accessible
The drone is a major step towards making advanced farming technology more accessible. “With ‘Vihaa’, we are not just offering a tool but a partner in modern farming, aiming to make advanced technology accessible across the country and support the broader drone technology sector’s development,” added Prof Chakravarthy.
Amber Wings is currently offering its crop spraying services in select regions of South India, with an initial focus on Tamil Nadu. The startup plans to expand to more states in the coming months.
Developing End-to-End Drone Solutions
In addition to the Vihaa agricultural drone, Amber Wings is also developing other UAV solutions:
- The ‘Atva’ series of drones for package delivery and aerial imaging for the logistics and e-commerce sectors
- A high-capacity drone prototype capable of carrying 50-kg payloads
“We believe drone technology has the power to transform industries and unlock new possibilities for businesses,” said Prof Chakravarthy. “By offering end-to-end solutions and building a strong ecosystem, we aim to drive the growth of drone adoption across India.”
IIT Madras: Emerging Hub for Deep-Tech Startups
Amber Wings is a sister company of The ePlane Company, an acclaimed IIT Madras incubated startup developing flying taxis. With their focus on cutting-edge UAV technology, startups like Amber Wings and The ePlane Company are putting IIT Madras and the South Indian startup ecosystem on the global map.
The IIT Madras ecosystem has emerged as a hub for deep-tech innovations in recent years. By providing incubation support, access to world-class research facilities, and a network of industry partners, IIT Madras is enabling startups to develop breakthrough solutions for sectors like agriculture, logistics, transportation and more.
