Dhoni launches made-in-India drone 'Droni' from Garuda Aerospace

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the former Indian cricket captain who popularised the 'helicopter' shot, launched a 'made-in-India camera drone' named 'Droni' with advanced features manufactured by Garuda Aerospace.

Dhoni is the brand ambassador for Garuda Aerospace, a company that has tried to use drones for spraying pesticides on farms, cleaning solar panels, inspecting industrial pipelines, mapping, surveying, making public announcements, and delivering packages.

Dhoni said at the event that he became interested in agriculture during the Covid-19 lockdown. He also emphasised the importance of drones for farmers.

CEO and co-founder Agnishwar Jayaprakash said that the product will hit shelves by the end of 2022. "Garuda Aerospace is focussed on creating high impact solutions for numerous purposes. Our Droni drone is indigenous and can be used for different surveillance purposes," he said.

"By providing Make in India drones, we hope to not just become atmanirbhar for demand of drones but also place India on the global map as a hub for superior quality, safe and secure drone and drone-based solutions,” he added.

A 'Kisan Drone' designed for use in agriculture, specifically spraying operations, was also launched in Chennai. The battery-powered drone is capable of spraying agricultural pesticides over a daily 30-acre field area, the company said.