Optiemus to invest Rs 140 cr to create fleet of 5,000 drones by 2025 end

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) Optiemus Unmanned Systems (OUS), a subsidiary of homegrown telecommunications and electronics manufacturing company Optiemus Infracom Limited, said on Thursday that it will invest Rs 140 crore and offer a pioneering model of ‘Drone as a Service’ for the agriculture sector with a fleet of 5,000 drones by the end of 2025.The company has launched its range of drones in the agricultural and mapping category, which will be powered by components designed and manufactured in India.The company also said that it will train around 6,000 pilots to manage a fleet of 5,000 drones by the end of 2025, adding that it is targeting a service revenue of around Rs 600 crore to Rs 900 crore by next year’s end.”It is our effort to revolutionise traditional farming practices and enhance crop yields while promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship,” Ashok Kumar Gupta, Chairman, Optiemus Infracom Limited, said in a statement.”We have already got a portfolio of military-grade drones and have started selling our drones to India’s defence and paramilitary forces,” he added. The company said its main goal is to align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Make in India’ and contribute towards the prosperity of farmers who are the backbone of the country.To support and contribute towards PM Modi’s vision, OUS has launched the ‘Agri Shakti 10L’ at a starting price of Rs 2.25 lakh plus GST.The Agri Shakti 10L is an agricultural drone that can fly for up to 15 minutes at maximum capacity and supports a 10-litre spray tank capable of spraying 1 acre in approximately 7 minutes.–IANSshs/arm