Watch: India’s first passenger drone 'Varuna' that will be inducted into the Navy

Varuna is the product of Pune-based Sagar Defence Engineering. (Image credit: Screengrab from video tweeted by @ANI)

India's first passenger drone, built by Pune-based Sagar Defence Engineering, will soon be inducted into the Indian Navy.

The drone, named "Varuna", is capable of carrying of a load of 130 kilograms and has a range of 25 to 30 kilometres.

A video, shared by news agency ANI, captured the black-and-red drone 's flight. The aircraft bears the Navy's logo.

The drone is equipped with a ballistic parachute, which will be of use in a case there's a malfunction, Nikunj Parashar, the founder of Sagar Defence Engineering, told ANI.

#WATCH | ‘Varuna’ country’s first human-carrying drone, developed by the Indian startup Sagar Defence Engineering, will soon be inducted into Indian Navy pic.twitter.com/RhyjvAYn1E

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— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2022

The "Varuna " drone has been designed to help the Navy transfer its personnel between warships, the Hindustan Times reported. Its developers have enhanced it to help with rescue operations and also serve as an air ambulance in rural areas.

Varuna's functioning had been demonstrated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July.

Hon'ble PM @narendramodi at the demonstration of India's first drone that can carry human payload; #Varuna, which can carry a person inside & has a range of 25 km with a payload of 130kgs and 25-33 minutes of flight time.@JM_Scindia @Gen_VKSingh @AmberDubey_MoCA @dronefed pic.twitter.com/ic8ZSDsXHP

— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) July 20, 2022

Modi had emphasised on the importance of drone technology at the Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022, India's biggest drone festival, in May.

“Promotion of drone technology is another medium of advancing our commitment to good governance and ease of living," the prime minister had said.