Hyderabad: Drogo Aerospace Pvt Ltd, a Hyderabad-based dronetech startup, on Monday said it has delivered the first batch of 41 JK 250e drones to the Indian Army under a Rs 72-crore defence contract, marking a key step in the company’s expansion in indigenous military technology. The drones were received by officials of the Army’s Southern Command in Nashik, Maharashtra. The company said it plans to complete the remaining deliveries under the order by Aug 2026.The JK 250e, designed and manufactured by Drogo Aerospace, can fly up to three hours on a single charge and is intended for surveillance, reconnaissance and other critical military operations.Pointing out that the delivery validates his company’s technology and manufacturing strength, Drogo Aerospace founder and CEO Yeshwanth Bonthu said the company is now developing indigenous loitering munitions, long-endurance UAVs, AI-powered aerial intelligence platforms and advanced reconnaissance systems.The company is now setting up a 100,000-square-foot drone manufacturing facility at Maheshwaram in Telangana’s Ranga Reddy district, on about 4.5 acres allotted by the state govt in the electronics manufacturing cluster. The facility is expected to create nearly 500 additional jobs when operational. The company already employs around 300 people.Formerly known as Drogo Drones Pvt Ltd, the startup recently rebranded as Drogo Aerospace to reflect its broader focus on defence, aviation, unmanned systems, satellites and future aerospace solutions. It is expanding work on next-generation unmanned aerial systems, advanced surveillance platforms and defence technologies.The company recently showcased its products at a defence industry exhibition in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, where Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed its technologies.
