DroneAcharya signs USD 2.75 mn 30 franchise deal with Wollstone Capital SA, Switzerland, to boost drone sales, service and certified training In India
As India continues to push its Drone Ecosystem, at present, there are a total of 66 DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) certified Remote Pilot Training Organizations (RPTO) across the country. DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations Limited, one of the highest rated RPTOs, has announced plans to open 30 new franchises at a Pan – India level, in partnership with Wollstone Capital SA Switzerland, a private investment holding company that invests in new technologies, sustainable agriculture and renewable energy. This is a major development as it will increase the number of RPTOs by a significant number and make the technology, training and jobs reach all across the country. In total, they have a plan to open 100+ centers in India.
At present, DroneAcharya has trained more than 500 DGCA certified drone pilots since March 2022, becoming the first non-government company to reach the milestone. With 30 new Franchises, they have big plans to train 500+ DGCA certified drone pilots per month, giving a major push to the skilled workforce in the Indian Drone Sector. Apart from being a pioneer and market leader as a training organization, they cater to the complete ecosystem of Drone Technology, ranging from Manufacturing, Training and Services, making them one of the few players to do so. The additional regional centers will not only propagate professional training but will also be hubs for catering sales and services. Through this association, their vision is to make Drone Technology and services more accessible to the end consumer. They are proving to be a one stop solution for end consumers like farmers, mining agencies, energy companies and educators, as their offerings include cutting edge drone technology, drone data processing and analytics using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
The activities carried out by DroneAcharya truly align with and fuel our Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to establish India as a Global Drone Hub by 2030.
Talking about the engagement, Mr. Nikhil Chawla, Partner of Wollstone Capital, says “DroneAcharya has showcased tremendous growth in the last couple of years as a Drone Startup. Through our association, we are already working with them in International Markets. Witnessing their progressive growth and consistency, Wollstone Capital has placed their trust in DroneAcharya and its Leadership. Our objective is to help DroneAcharya become India’s first true Global Drone Brand. Through them we plan to enter deeper into India and support them in their Drone Tech, Space Tech and Defence Tech initiatives.”
Adding to this, Mr. Prateek Srivastava, Founder and Managing Director of DroneAcharya says, “As we speak, we are already working with Wollstone Capital to cater to their international clients in The Middle East, Europe and Central Asia. This is a remarkable moment for an Indian Drone Start-up to expand its wings within India and conquer the world at the same time. We wish to bring our decade long experience to provide relevant solutions to our clients, irrespective of the geography.”
Wollstone Capital has been associated with multiple emerging tech companies. Amongst others, they are invested in a fast growing fintech in the UK, a sustainable agricultural company in Italy supplying to the Ferrero Group, a green energy company in Serbia and an intelligent storage unit for precious commodities in Dubai. They were early investors in DroneAcharya and with this collaboration, are entering the Drone Tech space. Commenting on the potential of this association, Mr. Amit Takte, CTO at DroneAcharya comments “We are on the precipice of becoming one of India’s largest Drone brands, made possible through effective partnerships with supporters like Wollstone Capital. We will continue to keep improving our technology and manpower to cater to the complete gamut of Drone, Space and Defense Tech.”
