Andhra Pradesh bets on Airbound for 10,000 daily drone flights

Andhra Pradesh is putting its weight behind a Bengaluru drone startup to build what the state says could become one of the largest commercial drone delivery networks in the world.

Airbound signed a memorandum of understanding with Andhra Pradesh Drone Corporation (APDC) on Thursday for the Amaravati Capital Region Drone Delivery Network (ACR DDN). The network would connect Amaravati, Vijayawada, and Guntur, with operations starting in Guntur. The two sides said they are working toward enabling 10,000 daily drone flights across the state within a year.

That scale would put Andhra Pradesh among the largest such networks globally, dwarfing most current commercial drone operations. The company claims delivery costs as low as 10 paisa per kilometer, roughly 20 times cheaper than conventional ground logistics.

Airbound's aircraft is the key. The company's blended-wing-body tailsitter, built from lightweight carbon fiber, weighs just 1.5 kilograms and offers a payload ratio of 1.5 to 1. The industry standard is four to one. That ratio means the drone can carry nearly its own weight in cargo, which is unusual for a small unmanned aircraft.

"With this MoU, Airbound is not just launching a new mode of delivery, they are laying the foundations of a new logistics architecture for Andhra Pradesh," said Geetanjali Sharma, managing director and chairman of APDC.

Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu framed the partnership as a showcase for Indian aerospace. "Airbound's trajectory shows what India is capable of in next-generation aviation," he said. "By partnering with a home-grown company to build one of the world's largest drone delivery networks, Andhra Pradesh is demonstrating that cutting-edge technology can be designed, built, and scaled in India, delivering real connectivity, jobs, and growth."